Trista underwent lifesaving surgery just days after adopting a shelter dog who turned out to be her savior and salvation.

The fight of her life

Like many veterans, Trista enlisted in the military in a search for greater purpose. She credits an uncle who had served as further inspiration for her career decision.

“I joined the Air Force because I was looking for some direction in my life. My uncle had retired as a master sergeant,” she says, “so I decided to follow in his footsteps.”

However, Trista’s dreams of a military career would not come to pass. After advanced training she was stationed at Travis Air Force Base (AFB), serving in the 60th logistics readiness squadron. Her specialty was in petroleum, oil, and lubricants—known as POL.

These skilled professionals are responsible for the testing, distribution, logistics, and inventory management of a range of fuel systems that power fighter jets and other mission critical equipment. A famous Air Force motto—”Without fuel, pilots are pedestrians”—highlights the vital nature of POL personnel.

The Air Force veteran recalls one particularly proud moment of her abbreviated military career.

“At the time I was one of three women airman in my flight, and the only woman in the flight line pulling hoses and fueling aircraft.”

But just six months into her assignment to Travis AFB Trista went into acute liver failure. She was medically retired two years into her tour of duty and began the fight of—and for—her life.

“…my everything”

Trista lives in Utah with her fiancée, Michael, where she is looking for work as she recovers from a long-awaited liver transplant. She envisioned having her beloved dog Chanel by her side, but that was not to be.

“Chanel had been my everything. I got her after I had attempted to end my life,” she shares. “Chanel kept me alive and she was supposed to be by my side for my transplant. Unfortunately my transplant came six months too late.”

Tragically, Chanel—whom Trista describes as her “soul dog”—had to be put to sleep prior to the Air Force veteran’s surgery. Little could Chanel know that after dutifully seeing Trista through her darkest days she would eventually pass the role of savior to another rescue dog.

Homecoming

Months after Chanel’s passing Trista was still waiting for a transplant. But the aching void of her beloved dog’s absence was too great to bear.

“I missed the companionship,” she says. “I missed the unconditional love and support Chanel had given me for eight wonderful years.”

So in the middle of July 2025 Trista visited Salt Lake County Animal Services, which has partnered with us since 2015 and offers our members fee-waived adoptions of eligible pets. It was there that she met a nearly three year-old Pittie mix named Bonnie.

“They brought her out to me and she was the happiest and sweetest little thing. She has so much personality and I fell in love instantly,” she recalls. “But unfortunately, I couldn’t afford her adoption fee at the time.”

Shelter staff told the Air Force veteran about our companion pet adoption program and the various benefits to lower lifetime costs of having a pet.

Although Trista did not apply right away, she continued to check the shelter’s website to see if Bonnie was still available.

“Before applying I had kept my eye on Bonnie at the shelter for weeks. No one ever adopted her.”

However, the stress of wondering if someone else might adopt Bonnie motivated Trista to apply to Pets for Patriots. Upon approval she returned to the shelter to introduce Bonnie to her fiancée’s dog, Clyde, who had always been choosy about his canine companions.

The two dogs got along from the start. So on August 6, 2025, Bonnie came home.

The call

Trista had little time to enjoy her new companion. The next day she received the call for a lifesaving liver transplant and the day after that underwent surgery—just two days after bringing Bonnie home.

Following her surgery Trista was allowed to go home for a few days before returning to the hospital. During that precious time she and Bonnie bonded to one another.

“She cuddles with me. She is just the sweetest thing. She gets along very well with my other dog and I absolutely love her,” she says. “She was exactly what I needed during this rough period.”

Michael took care of both dogs while Trista regained some of her strength in the hospital. These days her recovery continues at home, with Bonnie playing a starring role in Trista’s convalescence.

“…my lifesaver”

The sweet Pittie mix quickly became Trista’s constant companion. She seems to know just when a cuddle is needed, or when it is time to take a leisurely stroll outdoors.

“She is always by my side since my liver transplant and she is the best little cuddler,” Trista says.

“She keeps me distracted from the pain while I heal, and gets me up and moving.”

When she’s not couch cuddling, Bonnie loves to run through the house and snatch things along the way.

Stuffies, shoes, slippers—almost anything is steal-worthy to the spirited pup. And she loves instigating play with her dog brother, Clyde.

But come bedtime Bonnie can be founded curled up next to Trista.

“She brings so much joy and light to our home during such a difficult and stressful time as I continue to recover from surgery. She gives me a reason to get up and walk and get outside,” she shares. “She truly is my lifesaver.”

It is hard for Trista to find anything she does not love about her newest family member. She delights at Bonnie’s howls before breakfast and dinner, and how she “grunts like a pig” when she is eating.

But what she appreciates most is Bonnie’s transformation from a somewhat shy and uncertain dog to one who has learned to trust her people.

Trista believes that fate played a hand in bringing her together with this once unwanted shelter dog at a time when she needed her most.

“She is my little savior,” she says. “I truly believe things happen for a reason and she was meant to be next to me for this new journey in life.”