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| Circa 2011, Jeff Wilson working as a mentor trainer under the guidance of OperationFreedom Paws founder, Mary Cortani. |
Jeff never fully believed in his intelligence and talent and it has been my pleasure assist him in finding it in his own way. At first it was a small gift of art supplies and picnics by the lake to inspire him to sketch. Then later it was helping him realize his dream to return to finish his degrees and strongly suggesting to add more art course in his electives. Then suggesting he offer to share his experiences with younger veterans at the Veteran's center's at his colleges.
Then he called me to stop by a pet shop on the other side of town after a long work day to meet a rescue dog. I drove up to see Lobo curled in his lap. I parked, walked in and bought dog food, a crate and toys. When he asked if I would think it was weak for him to train with Lobo to become a service dog I said, "I support you totally." Training with Lobo gave him courage, and as he entered public with Lobo by his side people wanted to know about him. As they asked what happened, Lobo gave him the courage to speak about it. When asked if I would be embarrassed by him sharing his story about suffering from PTSD publicly, I said, "I got your back baby." The surge of passion that poured out of him as he began to work with Mary Cortani, Janet Wenholtz, Megan Landry Wenhotlz and all the staff and clients of OFP transformed him. I proudly watched as Jeff picked up this new mantle of working to help his brothers and sisters in arms.
We gained a family of dear friends in those early classes. Back then I was still working long hours and our time together could only occur if I accompanied him to training classes on the weekends. I would nap in the car on the hour and a half long rides to and from training. I started spending my Saturday's in training class, sitting and watching at first. As my inability to keep still took over, I began to help out in working with some of the foster dogs. We came early to sweep the pigeon poop off the old warehouse floor, empty trash, scrub out water bowls and line up the chairs in my OCD way. In every class I watched him gain confidence in speaking, confidence in demonstrating complex concepts in the training and confidence in reaching out to those he was teaching. He was watching his students and becoming able to discern how to approach them when they hit the tough moments. Even as he hit one of the toughest moments himself, losing his own service dog Lobo in tragedy, he went back to the work. When the whole world crashed down around him he was called back to the work. Thinking of how his experience could help others. He had made the connection between sharing and teaching, of how opening his heart with all it's pain could speak directly into someone else's pain and how healing that connection could be.
I remember with deep love the first time one of the clients told me how they felt they could trust Jeff and through that trust he had help them. On the nights I worked too late to accompany him to class, he would bring his students home to me in the form of stories about their break through a in training. In his stories he brought them into his heart and held them there, surrounding them in his care. He cried for their pain and he rejoiced in their accomplishments.
When I met new clients in those Saturday classes I heard his stories of their valiant deeds in my head. He was becoming the kind of educator that lives and breathes in his students journeys. He was all in with them on the ride, hands up screaming and laughing as the coaster dropped their stomachs in failures and swept them back up in success. He came home excited to Go back. Watching him soak up the knowledge from his mentor Mary and then apply it, made me so proud.
Years later when my own medical condition took my work and dreams from me, I was incredibly proud of how he never let up on me as a student. Even on those really hard days when my tears and pain pulled at his husband's heart he worked from his teacher's determination to help me learn and pushed me to work through my pain. Seeing him successfully strike that delicate balance between loving care taker and teacher was one of my proudest moments. I often speak of how Mary, Janet and all the trainers helped me so much during that journey to become a service team. What I have never spoken of is how much Jeff helped me, even though we were never allowed to work in the same training groups in class proper. He watched me, critiqued me, drilled me and challenged me to keep on when I thought I was not strong enough.
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| Jeff leading a service dog training exercise with his service dog Lobo, 2012. |
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| Jeff and Lobo in training class at OFP, 2012. |
I remember with deep love the first time one of the clients told me how they felt they could trust Jeff and through that trust he had help them. On the nights I worked too late to accompany him to class, he would bring his students home to me in the form of stories about their break through a in training. In his stories he brought them into his heart and held them there, surrounding them in his care. He cried for their pain and he rejoiced in their accomplishments.
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| Jeff and Lobo, during a photo shoot with Vicki Topaz, for her film and photo exhibit of HEAL! Veteran's Speak About PTSD |
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| Jeff working with Selah in training class for the first time in the weeks following Lobo's loss. She seemed to know instinctively how much hurt he felt, she forced her way into his arms daily, like the big lumbering, adorable lump of love that she is. From the first afternoon, when Mary brought her into our courtyard, she barreled up to Jeff and jumped into his arms. Selah was determined that he would pay attention to her. |
Years later when my own medical condition took my work and dreams from me, I was incredibly proud of how he never let up on me as a student. Even on those really hard days when my tears and pain pulled at his husband's heart he worked from his teacher's determination to help me learn and pushed me to work through my pain. Seeing him successfully strike that delicate balance between loving care taker and teacher was one of my proudest moments. I often speak of how Mary, Janet and all the trainers helped me so much during that journey to become a service team. What I have never spoken of is how much Jeff helped me, even though we were never allowed to work in the same training groups in class proper. He watched me, critiqued me, drilled me and challenged me to keep on when I thought I was not strong enough.
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| Selah and Jeff demonstrating Puppy Yoga, a detailed cognitive behavioral meditation that is taught at OFP. |
He is always the last to take credit, the last to tell you about his accomplishments or believe in his talents. I often say I will be eternally grateful for how Operation Freedom Paws changed both our lives for the better. I have not adequately expressed how grateful I am to Mary at OFP for recognizing what I have always seen in Jeff and mentoring him to find his passion for helping veterans and developing his talents as an educator.
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| Jeff at training class for OFP, 2015. Five years later. |
Yes, that first picture at the top seems a lifetime away; a blessed beginning to a life changing relationship and shared passion to change this world for the better. A quality I always recognized and fell in love with all those years ago. A quality I am still so proud to support.
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| Jeff and Selah in a follow-up photo shoot with Vicki Topaz, for HEAL! Veteran's Speak About PTSD, 2013. |
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| Selah and Jeff working together, teaching a training class at the new Canine Education Center at Operation Freedom Paws, 2015. |
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| Jeff and Selah in front of the poster of Heal! Veteran's Speak About PTSD which features Jeff and Lobo, the cycle of healing in a photo. 2015. |
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| Jeff and Selah in their favorite position, this is how I see them, locked in love and happy as can be to be with each other. Selah is a blessing, a big fluffy, tail waggin', slobbery, lumping mess and He would not have it any other way. |
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