SAINT LEONARD, Md. — Alas, the Washington Capitals will not have their favorite furry friend rink side next season. But it's for a good cause, as Captain has found his forever home in Saint Leonard, Maryland, as a service dog for a retired Marine.
“There are really no words to say thank you enough because what they have given us along with America's VetDogs is a gift that is priceless," CeCe Gwathmey, wife of retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Mark Gwathmey, said. "This dog could potentially save my husband’s life on more than one occasion."
Through 22 years of service in the Marines, Mark Gwathmey was injured in multiple explosions during his more than two dozen deployments, resulting in traumatic brain injury. He now suffers from a seizure disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, which gives him night terrors.
Captain rose to fame as the Capitals official pup and social media maven. The pup that so many fell in love with while watching the Capitals play is now trained to help Gwathmey 24 hours a day.
“I’m going to be taken care of 24/7 by him," Mark Gwathmey said. "He’s going to have my six at all times."
Captain has been trained to assist Mark Gwathmey with several tasks to help mitigate the veteran’s disability, including retrieving dropped items, counterbalance, summoning assistance, seizure response, positional cues to extend personal space and PTSD cues such as rest, nightmare interruption and shake.
Mark Gwathmey described his night terrors saying he “wakes up, sometimes in a deep sweat and panic.” Just as he began to dive deeper during an interview, Captain jumped up and started comforting him, almost knowing that Gwathmey needed Captain’s calming touch.
When asked if it was love at first sight with Captain, Mark Gwathmey's answer was simple.
“Yes! I think it was," he said.
His wife echoed his feelings.
“From the beginning, Captain couldn’t take his eyes off of Mark," she said. "Mark had been having a really hard time two weeks before Captain came, and was having more episodes, more nightmares, more migraines. It’s almost like Captain knew that Mark was in a bad spot, and he was just like ‘I’m here, I got you,’ and it’s been that way since.”
Captain never leaves Mark Gwathmey’s side, and if he falls or has a seizure, Captain knows exactly what to do. There’s a “get help command” button on the wall in their living room. Soon there will be one in their basement, and outside. When Mark Gwathmey needs help, Captain runs to the button and pushes it. A musical tune plays and that alerts CeCe that Mark needs help.
“I feel relief, relief that now this dog’s sole purpose is to help Mark,” CeCe Gwathmey said.
Captain is Mark Gwathmey's second service dog through America’s Vet Dogs -- a nonprofit that provides service dogs to veterans with disabilities. His first dog, Larry, passed away three years ago, and Mark Gwathmey said the moment he saw Captain, he got emotional because Captain is the spitting image of Larry.
Larry saved Mark’s life on multiple occasions, and Mark Gwathmey said he can’t imagine his life now without a service dog.
"I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for that very first America’s Vet Dog," he said.
Mark Gwathmey said he was in a dark place, and struggled to walk and talk due to his traumatic brain injury. But a service dog has quite literally given him a new life.
The Washington Capitals sponsored Captain, funded his special training and prepared him for the next step. Now, the Gwathmeys say they are forever grateful.
“I’m blessed that the Capitals sponsored him," Mark Gwathmey said. "I’m fortunate to have him as my sidekick and my service dog."
Captain’s training has taught him the skills he needs to live a life of service with a Marine, who can now live his life to the fullest.
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