Holding on to Hope: Veteran’s service dog mission stalls after tragic crash

By Michelle Hofmann

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    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (KRIS) — 2024 started as a remarkable year for James Dickerson, a proud Army veteran, and his service dog, Crowley. But their journey took an unexpected and heartbreaking turn just before the holidays.

Dickerson, who travels the country training service dogs for veterans in need, has long shared his life and mission with his followers through the Facebook page Crowley Dickerson: Through the Eyes of a Service Dog.

“We actually placed 7 dogs. We believe that giving a gift from the heart is the most powerful thing you can do,” Dickerson says.

His deep bond with Crowley, who also helps him manage his PTSD, has resonated with many. The pair’s story of hope, healing, and giving back has inspired countless others and has even changed and saved lives.

“Crowley isn’t just a dog to me; Crowley is a lifeline. He’s everything that’s good about me and none of the bad.” Dickerson reflected.

However, earlier this year, Dickerson revealed some devastating news: Crowley had been diagnosed with cancer. The dog, who had been by Dickerson’s side for years, had to undergo surgery to remove masses.

“That one was a reality check and really knocked me on my butt,” Dickerson admitted.

Amid this challenge, a service puppy in training, Linc, came into Dickerson’s life. A family in New Jersey had reached out to Dickerson, asking him to train Linc to be a service dog. With this action, they wanted to honor Billy Dayoc, a military member who died by suicide.

“Then they came to me after Crowley got cancer and asked if I would keep Linc for myself. So, that’s what we’re doing. Linc will be my service dog,” Dickerson says. “He’s going to be amazing.”

Dickerson also received a charm with some of Billy’s ashes. Carrying the keepsake along the ride, Dickerson continued his mission to train dogs for veterans. One particularly special moment was when Dickerson and his dogs celebrated an award for a story about them. KRIS 6 Anchor, Michelle Hofmann did the story and won a Lone Star Emmy in November.

“One of our first days on the road with Linc, we were on the road watching you win that Emmy,” Dickerson recalled, motioning to Hofmann during an interview.

“Glen [ James’ friend and colleague] and I were going down the road, yelling and screaming like teenagers.” Dickerson chuckled while assuring Hofmann he wasn’t in the driver’s seat as they were heading to Texas before the holidays.

But their joy was short-lived. Just days later, disaster struck. Dickerson, his colleague, and his dogs were parked on the side of a highway when a mobile home being hauled by another vehicle came loose and crashed into their truck and RV. The crash completely destroyed their home and their primary mode of transportation for their service dog mission.

“It was so surreal — how it all happened. It was like, ‘Yay, the Emmys!’ Then the crash. Inside there, everything else didn’t matter. No matter where we were in the country, we were home. Losing it was devastating,” Dickerson recalls.

The mobile home had been more than just a place to live. It was the center of Dickerson’s livelihood. It allowed him to travel and train dogs for veterans while maintaining a roofing business. Dickerson said the crash left nothing behind except, as Dickerson points out, a small miracle. Billy’s ashes weren’t lost to the crash.

“I had it sitting in my dad’s jewelry box beside my bed in the RV. Now that jewelry box and some of my dads ashes too, it doesn’t exist anymore, it spread down I-10” Dickerson explained.

However, a few days after the accident, Dickerson said he found it in the pocket of the pants he was wearing at the time of the crash.

“There’s no reason in the world I would’ve taken that. I was terrified to lose it. And yet, it was in my pocket,” Dickerson says.

Despite the tragic loss, Dickerson remains hopeful, but he now faces an uphill battle to rebuild his life and continue his mission. With his mobile home destroyed, he has been staying at an Airbnb and is waiting to see what insurance will cover.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist Dickerson in rebuilding.

“There’s nothing that makes me more happy than the realization that what we do makes an impact,” he says, expressing gratitude for the support he’s received during this difficult time.

“I’ve always been good at helping people, but I’ve always been the worst at accepting help. You can call it God, you can call it the universe, I call it God. And sometimes I notice that God likes to reach down from Mexico, slap me up to Oklahoma. This time, I think it was to humble me and explain to me that it’s time that we got a little bigger in what we do and let some other humans in the door to help us. It can’t just be us anymore.” Dickerson says.

Donations to help Dickerson and his mission can be made through his GoFundMe page, allowing him to continue his work of training service dogs for veterans in need.

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