>>> WELCOME BACK. TODAY, WE CONTINUE TO HONOR OUR
VETERANS.
VETERANS. WE HAVE A STORY OF ONE SOLDIER’S
VERY SPECIAL BOND.
>> ARMY MAJOR PETE WAY WAS
INJURED TWICE WHEN SERVING IN
AFGHANISTAN.
AFGHANISTAN. WHEN HE CAME HOME, HIS PROBLEMS
GOT WORSE.
GOT WORSE. >> BUT A COMPANION FROM VET DOGS
HELPED TURN HIS LIFE AROUND.
WATCH THIS.
WATCH THIS. >> I GREW UP PLAYING WITH THE
LITTLE GREEN SOLDIERS IN THE
BACKYARD
BACKYARD BACKYARD.
BACKYARD. IT’S NEAT TO BE ONE OF THE ONES
THAT BECAME THE LITTLE GREEN
SOLDIER FIGURE INSTEAD OF JUST
PLAYING WITH THEM.
>> Reporter: IN 2001, PETE WAY
WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE ARMY
RESERVES.
RESERVES. BUT AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th, HE WAS
DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN AS A
MEDIC WITH THE SPECIAL FORCES.
>> I KNEW I WAS GOING TO GET TO
TAKE PART IN RIGHTING THIS
WRONG.
WRONG. I WASN’T SO MUCH WORRIED ABOUT
GETTING KILLED OR HURT.
>> Reporter: JUST MONTHS AFTER
ARRIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
PETE WAS HURT WHILE HELPING
ANOTHER SOLDIER.
ANOTHER SOLDIER. >> I BUSTED MY KNEES UP GOOD AND
BLEW A DISC OUT IN MY BACK.
>> Reporter: MONTHS LATER.
>> SOMEONE SHOT AN RPG CLOSE BY
AND I GOT DIRT AND SHRAPNEL IN
MY LEG.
MY LEG. >> Reporter: WHEN PETE FINALLY
WENT HOME, THINGS WENT FROM BAD
TO WORSE.
TO WORSE. >> I HAD DEVELOPED THE CLASSIC
PTSD SYMPTOMS WITH NIGHTMARES
AND CROWD AVERSION AND KEPT
TAKING PAIN MEDICINES.
THEY HELPED THE PAIN, WHILE
MESSING WITH MY BRAIN.
AT THE SAME TIME, HELPING TO
COVER UP THAT PTSD.
>> Reporter: PETE’S WIFE, ANN,
AND HIS TWO YOUNG CHILDREN WERE
WORRIED.
WORRIED. >> PETE SEEMED DIFFERENT WHEN HE
CAME BACK.
CAME BACK. HE SORT OF HAD A GAZE OVER HIS
EYES LIKE HE WAS HERE BUT NOT
REALLY HERE.
REALLY HERE. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. I WOULD SAY IT WAS ABOUT AS
CLOSE TO PITCH-BLACK WITH NO
LIGHT IN SIGHT.
>> Reporter: DESPITE STILL BEING
IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND
UNDERGOING 24 SURGERIES, PETE
KNEW SOMETHING NEEDED TO CHANGE.
>> THIS IS MADNESS.
I’M TRAINED IN THIS.
I KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF BEING
ADDICTED.
ADDICTED. AND YET, HERE I AM.
IT WAS JUST A MOMENT OF, THIS
HAS TO STOP.
>> Reporter: PETE WAS ADDICTED
TO PAINKILLERS BUT OVER TIME GOT
CLEAN AND BEGAN RESEARCHING
SERVICE DOGS TO AID HIS
RECOVERY.
RECOVERY. A MONTH AFTER MEDICALLY RETIRING
FROM THE ARMY, HE MET RORY, AN
18-MONTH-OLD BLACK LAB FROM
AMERICA’S VET DOGS.
>> THEY OPENED THE DOOR AND I
KNEW IT WAS RORY BEFORE I KNEW
IT WAS RORY, JUST BECAUSE OF THE
WAY HE LOOKED.
HE WAS GOING TO BE MY DOG.
>> Reporter: AND THEIR BOND WAS
IMMEDIATE.
IMMEDIATE. >> HE TRUSTED ME AND I TRUSTED
HIM.
HIM. >> Reporter: BUT AS PETE’S LEG
CONTINUED DETERIORATING, HE
FACED HIS BIGGEST SURGERY,
AMPUTATION. STAYED BY HIS SIDE.
>> I HAD HIM TO HELP WITH A LOT
OF THE PHYSICAL THINGS.
AND THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT HE
PROVIDED, NOT JUST FOR ME BUT
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
>> I DON’T THINK PETE OR I WOULD
HAVE SURVIVED THE AMPUTATION
WITHOUT RORY.
WITHOUT RORY. AS SOON AS PETE GOT OUT OF
SURGERY, THERE WAS RORY WAITING
AND EXCITED TO SEE HIM.
AND I THINK IT GAVE PETE A
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE. I HAVE TO GET WELL AND I WANT TO
GET WELL.
GET WELL. >> Reporter: RORY HELPS PETE
WITH EVERYTHING, FROM THE
LOGISTICAL --
LOGISTICAL -- >> THERE IT IS.
TUG.
TUG. YES.
YES. PULL.
PULL. >> Reporter: TO THE EMOTIONAL.
>> THERE IT IS.
RORY IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO PICK UP
ON MY EMOTIONS.
AND SO, HE INTERCONVENIENCEVENES
GET WORKED UP.
>> RORY IS THE BEST GIFT.
AN EVER-LASTING GIFT.
I KNOW HE SAVED PETE’S LIFE.
>> HE’S GIVEN ME BACK A NORMAL
LIFE.
LIFE. I DON’T SEE ANYTHING AS
OBSTACLES OR IMPOSSIBILITIES.
IT’S THE NEXT CHALLENGE AND RORY
IS WITH ME ON EVERY CHALLENGE.
IT’S A TURNAROUND IN LIFE AND A
GOOD LIFE.
GOOD LIFE. >> GOSH.
>> GOSH. THAT IS A TEAM RIGHT THERE.
PETE AND RORY ARE NOW TRAINING
FOR A BIATHLON.
THEY ARE HOPING TO COMPETE IN