Like many other military personnel, David Sharpe experienced significant changes while serving his country. As an Air Force airman on the Security Forces team, he was deployed shortly after the September 11th attacks. Upon his return home in the spring of 2002 David had a completely different perspective on life.
He became disengaged in social settings and preferred violence over pleasure. At the prompting of a friend, David visited a pit bull rescue center to consider adoption. He was expecting to get a ferocious fighting dog to match his constantly enraged mental state, but David found just the opposite.
While all the other dogs begged for his attention, one scarred little puppy barely gave his hand a sniff before going back to her lonely corner of a dirty cage. David adopted her and Cheyenne in turn changed his life as much as he had literally saved hers. Cheyenne had been abused and used as a bait dog by her former owners.
Her obvious scars matched the internal abuse that David had been feeling emotionally and mentally. After an outburst of anger and rage, David stopped his destructive behavior just long enough to notice the confused yet understanding look in Cheyenne’s innocent eyes.
He scooped her up and just held her while unloading all the stories, thoughts, feelings, and burdens that he could not share with another human being. The pair are continuing the healing process together and encouraging other veterans to adopt shelter dogs as well.