WALKING THROUGH FIRE

GOD BLESS AMERICA - AT ALL TIMES - IN ALL PLACES

 

What have you done for freedom today?  We all have things to do, people to see. We are busy.  We work, we travel, we take a rest.  But how often do we think of our warriors who will, and have, and are walking through fire for us and this great country.  Some of our greatest citizens routinely make the ultimate sacrifice for America and its people.  For us they go into the worse conditions, at the worse time, and make the biggest difference.  Throughout history our young men and women have gone and done the unpopular, the impossible and the unachievable. Only to return home and ready themselves to do it again.

Our Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Soldiers are there for us.  They come home and many need help.  One  Penny's From Heaven Foundation Therapy and PTSD Support Dog and his 'dad,' Iraq war veteran Troy Yocum, are spending sixteen months hiking seven thousand miles across this great country to bring awareness and financial assistance to the plight of many of our warriors returning home. With Emmie, his Penny's From Heaven Foundation Therapy and PTSD Support Dog, by his side, he took the first step of his sixteen month quest on April 17, 2010.

Families fighting the homefront are not fighting alone. They have Emmie - a warrior's best friend. Emerson Elaine Eskridge, the Superdog, was born in Louisville, KY on June 19th, 2007. She is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of dog from Japan called Shiba Inu (柴犬).

She is a small, agile dog, with an abundance of energy, that copes very well with mountainous terrain and trails. Her safety is a main concern from the crew, during very hots days. If temperatures rise, then Emmie takes it nice and easy by riding in the RV that follows SPC Yocum. Of course she can't stand this. She always wants to be out front to lead the hike. Some think that she was born for the purpose of hiking across America.  Just perhaps she was also born to bring awareness and to promote the benefits of PTSD Support Dogs for our returning warriors with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Our soldiers are ready at a moments notice. They don't pick their battles, but when called to service they respond. Keeping our enemies at bay, our heroes are champions of freedom, not eager for war, but willing to sacrifice. One for the need of many. Many veterans live by this military code and have done so when our country needed it the most.

While one soldier may miss holidays, a birthday, or a birth of a child, others may suffer mentally and develop anxiety, depression or PTSD. Some also sacrifice by being injured by road side bombs, being shot or taking shrapnel. Some pay the ultimate price.

We ask a lot of our men and women in uniform. Who can they call on in their time of strife? Our American Heroes are fighting just as hard at home as they do overseas. Troy and Emmie are literally putting one foot in front of the other, crossing America to reach people and help spread the importance of helping our military families, one step at a time.