A Purple Heart recipient from Glenn Burnie is giving one more gift after passing away.
Stanley Smuck was a Korean War Veteran in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
His daughter Genie said he was injured by a sniper and had a lifelong disfigurement because of it.
“He uh didn’t really talk too much about the gruesomeness of the battles that he went through, but it changed his life.”
Genie Smuck is extremely proud of her purple heart winning father, so much so that she's honoring him by sponsoring a service dog in training named Stanley.
“For a little guy like he is he knows the sit the down and the stay,” Smuck said. “He’s already leaning himself towards what his final goal and mission will be which is to change somebody’s life. I’m sure he’s equipped and going to be able of doing that.”
Stanley the dog is a little over 4 months old. He's the only tribute dog in his litter of for, and someday he'll help a man or woman who served.
“These puppies learn about 120 commands both by word and by flash card,” said Ruth Gorski with paws4people. “Then when they go back to North Carolina to our puppy development center and they learn the special needs of their specific client. These dogs will actually transform their lives.”
Pups like Stanley spend time with handlers from paws4people learning commands and how to meet the future needs of their owners.
“That involves getting a puppy at 8 weeks old keeping them for a total of 8 to 12 weeks and then socializing them,” Gorski said. “Taking them out into the community to different locations, meeting people and teaching them a few basic commands.”
In about a year Stanley will be put into action, Genie sees a lot of her dad in the dog named after him.
“That intent look of determination. When you look at Stanley as he walks and he looks at something you can see that little brain in there working and trying to figure everything about what’s in front of him. My dad was that kind of personality too.”
She said her father would be proud that she’s using his name and legacy to help an organization that helps veterans.
“With paws4people no one can do something of this magnanimous nature. You can’t do it by yourself and it takes good teamwork and that was the same philosophy my dad had about everything. No one person can accomplish things by themselves it takes a team.”
To learn more about paws4vetsclick here.
Here’s a link to our other RBC Wealth Management Veterans are Heroes Reports.
