You’ve probably heard the saying, “Who rescued who?” when it comes to adopting pets.
But for one war veteran, this phrase took on a whole new meaning when a stray cat literally saved his life.
Meet Army Sgt. Josh Marino, a brave soldier who returned from Iraq with more than just physical scars.
He was grappling with a traumatic brain injury and severe PTSD.
The emotional toll was so overwhelming that he contemplated ending his life.
In his own words, Marino said, “I did not want to deal with it anymore.”
“I took out one of my knives. I wrote a letter on my computer and went outside to smoke one last cigarette.”
Just as he was about to make an irreversible decision, a life-altering moment occurred.
He heard a faint sound outside his barracks at Fort Riley in Kansas.
That sound was a soft “meow,” a call of hope that would not only change his life but also inspire countless others.
Emerging from the bushes was a tiny black and white kitten.
“He just walked up and started rubbing up against my leg and let me pet him.
I broke down crying, burst into tears,” Marino recalls in his short film, Josh & Scout, a Mutual Rescue.
“Maybe he knew there was something I couldn’t quite handle.”
From that moment on, Marino felt a renewed sense of purpose.
He said, “I stopped thinking about all my problems and started thinking about his problems and what I could do to help him.”
The kitten, now named Scout, taught Marino the power of mutual care and compassion.
Marino began feeding Scout daily, forming an unbreakable bond.
But then, Scout disappeared, leaving Marino heartbroken.
Life moved on, and Marino even started dating.
Influenced by Scout’s positive impact, he and his girlfriend decided to adopt a cat.
At the adoption event, a miraculous reunion occurred.
“All of a sudden a little black and white paw shoots out from a crate and starts smacking me in my left arm,” Marino describes.
“I opened up that cage, and I pulled him out, and I held him tight.”
Without a second thought, Marino adopted Scout, making their friendship official.
Scout’s presence inspired Marino to turn his life around completely.
He began eating healthier, quit smoking, and even pursued higher education.
Eventually, he married his girlfriend, Becky, and landed a job counseling disabled veterans.
Now, Marino shares his uplifting story with other veterans, emphasizing, “In my opinion, real men like cats.”
What an incredibly moving story, see below!
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