It's not unusual for soldiers to bring souvenirs home from their time overseas, but Marine Staff Sergeant Andrew Morales brought 2 very unique gifts back to his family when he returned from Afghanistan: a pair of Anatolian shepherd mixes named Dusty and Wyatt.
Morales found the dogs during his tour of duty. They're a pair of brothers from the same litter, and while he doesn't know anything about their past, it seems like they were lucky to survive. Their ears and tails have been clipped, which Morales believes is a sign they were used for dog fighting.
Morales adopted the dogs, and when his tour ended he brought them back to his home in California with the help of a rescue group. The big, adorable mutts quickly became a part of the family, and his wife Kristen calls them her "babies."
But when Morales was re-deployed to a military base in North Caroline, the family hit a snag. Morales's airline let him buy tickets for the dogs, but then said they were "too big" to fly. Morales tried to reschedule, but every airline told him the same thing: he would have to leave the dogs behind.
Luckily, that's when a total stranger offered to help in the most amazing way possible.
To find a solution, Morales reached out to the animal rescue group that had brought Dusty and Wyatt to America in the first place. They shared his plea for help on Facebook, where it crossed paths with someone totally unlikely: Helen Rosburg.
Rosburg is the heiress to the Wrigley Gum fortune, and a passionate animal lover. In her spare time she raises and trains German shepherds for private security companies and police, and she runs her own animal shelter called On The Wings of Angels.
Rosburg has developed a reputation for helping animals in need when no one else can, which is probably why her friends shared the Morales family's story with her.
Without hesitation, she arranged for a private jet to fly Morales and the dogs to their new home. Along with keeping Dusty and Wyatt happy and safe, Rosburg says Morales is "a hero on so many different levels," so she was happy to help.
"From the bottom of me and my wife's heart," Morales said, "we really appreciate what she did for us."
[H/T: ABC news]
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