>>> TOMORROW IS PATRIOTS DAY IN
BOSTON.
THAT MEANS THE 122nd RUNNING OF
THE BOSTON MARATHON.
FIVE YEARS NOW AFTER TERRORISTS
SET OFF TWO BOMBS NEAR THE
FINISH LINE, KILLING THREE
PEOPLE AND INJURING MORE THAN
260.
IN OUR SUNDAY CLOSER, DYLAN
CATCHES UP WITH A COUPLE WHO
WERE NEWLYWEDS WHEN THEY STOPPED
THAT DAY TO CHEER ON THE
RUNNERS.
>> Reporter: ONCE UPON A TIME,
THERE WAS A GIRL NAMED JESSICA
AND A DOG NAMED RESCUE.
A LIFE-CHANGING STORY, A REAL
FRIENDSHIP.
WITH THE LAUNCH OF THEIR
CHILDREN'S BOOK LAST WEEK AT THE
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, JESSICA
AND HER HUSBAND PATRICK REACHED
ANOTHER MILESTONE.
>> AT THE HOSPITAL, JESSICA WAS
LEARNING NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS
THAT USED TO COME EASILY.
>> Reporter: FIVE YEARS AFTER
THE EVENT THAT CHANGED THEIR
LIVES FOREVER.
>> CAN YOU TAKE ME BACK TO THAT
TIME AND WHAT HAPPENED?
>> WE TOOK THE T IN THE PARK
STREET, WALKED THROUGH THE
COMMON, WALKED OVER THE BRIDGE
WHERE I PROPOSED, AND THEN JUST
KIND OF FOUND OUR WAY ON TO
BOYLSTON STREET.
WE WERE JUST CHEERING PEOPLE ON,
AND THEN THE BLAST HAPPENED.
>> WE JUST KIND OF SHOT STRAIGHT
UP IN THE AIR, AND WE LANDED
RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
I KNEW I COULDN'T GET UP.
BUT I WASN'T PANICKED ABOUT
MYSELF.
I WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT
PATRICK BECAUSE HIS WAS VERY
GRAPHIC.
SO I GOT PICKED UP FIRST ON A
STRETCHER, AND THIS I'LL JUST
NEVER FORGET.
HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SAID
WE'LL FIGURE THIS OUT AND I LOVE
YOU.
>> Reporter: AFTER TWO WEEKS
APART, PATRICK AND JESSICA WOULD
FIND THEIR WAY BACK TOGETHER,
BOTH WITHOUT THEIR LOWER LEFT
LEG.
>> TO ACTUALLY HOLD HER HAND AND
TO KISS HER WAS FINALLY THE REAL
TANGIBLE CONFIRMATION THAT WE
WERE BOTH ALIVE.
>> Reporter: AS THE COUNTRY
MOVED ON FROM THE TRAGEDY,
JESSICA AND PATRICK'S FIGHT WAS
JUST BEGINNING.
THREE YEARS OF FULL-TIME
RECOVERY AT WALTER REED AND
DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO SAVE IT,
JESSICA WOULD LOSE HER LOWER
RIGHT LEG TOO.
A NEW ADDITION TO THEIR FAMILY,
THOUGH, WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
>> I APPLIED FOR A SERVICE DOG
FROM THE HOSPITAL.
I GOT A PHONE CALL END OF AUGUST
SAYING THEY THINK THEY FOUND THE
DOG FOR ME, TO CHECK MY E-MAIL,
THERE'S PICTURES IN THERE.
I MEAN, I JUST --
>> YOU FELL IN LOVE.
>> YES, THAT'S HIM.
>> IT FELT LIKE A NEW SENSATION.
HE CAME OUT AND WAS TOTALLY
GOOFY.
IT WAS LIKE, PARTS OF MY BODY
WERE REAWAKENING.
>> I TRULY CAN'T IMAGINE NOT
HAVING HIM.
>> Reporter: AS A SERVICE DOG
TRAINED ESPECIALLY FOR JESSICA,
RESCUE IS ALWAYS RIGHT BY HER
SIDE.
FINDING SOME WAY TO HELP OTHERS
WITH THEIR STORY BECAME THIS
FAMILY'S NEXT CHAPTER.
>> YOU DECIDE A CHILDREN'S BOOK
THAT INCLUDES RESCUE.
WHY DID YOU GO THAT ROUTE?
>> THIS WAS NOTHING BUT
LIGHTNESS AND JOY AND SEEING
THINGS THROUGH KIDS' EYES.
>> A PUP NAMED RESCUE WAS IN
TRAINING.
>> YOU'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO READ
THIS BOOK TO SOME KIDS.
WHAT IS THE REACTION?
>> WE'VE BEEN AMAZED BY HOW
FASCINATED THEY ARE.
>> BUT HIS WAGGING TAIL GAVE HIM
AWAY.
>> THEIR EMOTIONAL
SOPHISTICATION, WELL BEYOND WHAT
WE AS ADULTS USUALLY GIVE THEM
CREDIT FOR.
>> WERE YOU SCARED WHEN THEY
TOOK OFF YOUR LEG?
>> ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT
HELPED ME BESIDES RESCUE WAS
MEETING OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD
GONE THROUGH WHAT I HAD GONE
THROUGH.
>> WE'RE JUST STARTING TO PUT
PIECES OF A LIFE BACK TOGETHER.
IT'S A GOOD LIFE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
IT JUST LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENT
THAN WE -- EITHER OF US EVER
IMAGINED.
>> WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE
CHILDREN'S BOOK, I MEAN, THINK
OF PROSTHETICS OFFICES AND KIDS
GO IN WITH THEIR PROSTHETICS.
THEY HAVE SOMETHING NOW TANGIBLE
THEY CAN READ AND A STORY THEY
CAN RELATE TO THAT'S A TRUE
STORY.