Rick knows a few things about grief.

The Air Force veteran shared the nation’s collective sorrow in the wake of the September 11th terror attacks. His response was to enlist in the Air Force, where he served for nearly two decades.

Terror and tenacity

The year following what is infamously known as 9/11 Rick enlisted in the Air Force. From 2002 through 2010 he was active duty, serving in the security forces.

Rick remained in the reserve from 2011 through 2017 when he returned to full time civilian life.

In addition to holding a real estate license, Rick enjoys other pursuits—most of the sporting variety. For several years he has practiced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And the Ohio native always cheers on his beloved Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns.

But his true heart is with his partner, Amanda, and his rescue dogs. Amanda has been involved in animal rescue organizations for over 25 years. So for this family, adoption is always the only option.

Grief

In 2024, Rick and Amanda experienced a profound and personal loss. Their Cane Corso Baguira passed away unexpectedly.

“Despite our best efforts to save her, and we were willing to do anything,” Amanda recalls, “we lost her and it devastated us.”

 Baguira was one of two Cane Corso pups in the family.

Two weeks after Baguira’s passing Amanda came across a Facebook post of a Pit Bull mix who was in dire need of saving. The dog was deteriorating in the shelter and was set to be euthanized that evening.

Rick and Amanda decided that they had to meet her, despite their overwhelming sorrow.

So the couple visited our shelter partner, Lifeline Animal Project. All three of the organization’s Atlanta-area shelters waive adoption fees for our members. Since joining our free shelter program in 2023 Lifeline has made 115 adoptions through our partnership as of this writing.

In the nick of time

At the time of their visit in the fall of 2024 Maui was a three year-old Pit Bull mix. There was little doubt that she would be going home with the pair who hoped to save her life.

Maui jumped right into Rick’s lap upon meeting him. Her lovable nature was so obvious—and so welcome during his grief. Adopting her was an instant decision. But only two weeks later another social media post caught Amanda’s attention. The dog, named Pumpkin at the time, resembled their angel dog Baguira.

Pumpkin—since renamed Baci, which means ‘kisses’—is a Pit Bull mix with a strong blend of Cane Corso. It was as though Baguira was sending Rick and Amanda a kiss from dog heaven.

Aloha and pooch smooches

The two Pittie mixes joined a dog-loving household dedicated to rehabilitating them with kindness and joy.

Maui had been deteriorating in the shelter. She was scheduled for euthanasia the day Rick met and ultimately adopted her.

Meanwhile, Baci was pregnant upon entering the shelter as a stray. She received extra care and love in her new home to help her convalesce after carrying and birthing her litter.

“…an absolute pleasure”

Adoption can feel chaotic at times, but our team is here to take as much stress out of the process as possible. In addition to our various benefits to make pet guardianship more affordable, we follow up with every adopter for at least one year.

“It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know each of the members we’ve spoken with during this process,” Rick says. “From day one, you all have been nothing short of helpful, accommodating, super friendly, compassionate, and caring.”

As of May 2025 it is our privilege to accept applications from Gold Star spouses to help ease their grief with the love of companion pets.

These individuals are the husbands and wives of service members killed or declared missing in action, and worthy of our national gratitude.

Love lost, love gained

Maui and Baci have helped lessen the sorrow of loss for Rick and Amanda. Each pup is intelligent, playful, and even a bit silly. Both help navigate the family through Baguira’s unexpected passing.

“Having these needy babies who were so vulnerable and needy after their previous lives really helped us not to be completely lost in our grief,” Rick says, “as we had been in the weeks prior to adopting them.”

Many veterans share that the necessity and routine of caring for their adopted pets is therapeutic. For some, it brings a renewed sense of purpose. Others discover that nurturing their pets helps to break the cycle of self-destructive or unhealthy thoughts.

As Maui and Baci have settled in, so grows their bond. Where one dog goes the other follows. But while they enjoy doing many things together, each dog has a different personality.

Baci is quiet and loving. She is more reserved, though can be vocal when she wants human attention. Maui—or ‘Maui Wowwy’— is a rocket ship who would love to play every hour of every day. She likes to entice Baci into a tug-of-war game with their toys.

And both dogs enjoy the occasional wrestling match. The new lovable chaos that these new sisters create fills their home with joy.

“The girls have bonded very strongly and adore one another. Wherever one is, the other is,” Amanda says. “They are almost always either playing or laying with one another. Our home is empty without Baguira, but filled with love with these two precious girls.”