MOMENTS THAT MATTER: And They Called It Puppy Love

WOUNDED

PURPLE HEART HERO

Is Reunited With Puppy

He Rescued In Afghanistan

Best friends: Smoke and Donny Eslinger became an instant sensation when this picture appeared on the cover of Army Life magazine after he rescued the dog in Afghanistan

It was a mission just as important as any other they had encountered during their time in Afghanistan. This time the 1-24 Infantry Battalion of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team were determined to reunite soldier Donny Eslinger — who was seriously injured in a mortar attack in September, 2011 — with a puppy he rescued during his deployment called Smoke.

And now it is Smoke's turn to rescue Donny, says his father Seminole County sheriff Don Eslinger Sr, who reunited the puppy with his owner today.

When Donny, who was serving in Afghanistan, encountered the pup in August he fell in love with him then traded three cigarettes for the dog and stashed him in his backpack to hike back to camp.  When a photo of the adorable puppy peering out of the backpack appeared on the cover of Army Life magazine, Smoke became an instant sensation.

Heroes: The pair became inseparable during

the soldier's deployment to Afghanistan

He took care of the dog, whom he named "Smoke Pup Barbarian," until he was critically injured in a mortar attack only a month later on September 24, 2011.  Eslinger suffered a penetrating chest wound, a head injury, broken ribs and a broken leg. He also lost his spleen.

Eslinger has since undergone a number of surgeries, was placed in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator before being transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.  In October, it was here that President Obama presented him with a Purple Heart after he was hit by mortar fire while on patrol.

Donny was finally able to return to his Florida home to a hero's welcome in December, 2011, just in time for Christmas. He still has some surgery to go through. According to the Sentinel doctors at the Maryland hospital will do exploratory surgery and close his chest wound. Then they will use a titanium plate to replace a portion of his skull that had to be removed because of swelling.

Now his father has made it his job to reunite Donny with the dog in the hope it can boost his spirits in the same way it did the soldiers in Afghanistan.

Helpful: Smoke proved to be a morale booster when a

member of the company was killed the day after he was rescued

That's when Eslinger's squad leader, Staff Sergeant Daniel, wrote to Puppy Rescue Mission. In the letter, Daniel described how he sent Esligner and three other wounded soldiers home while the unit was engaged in a "pretty intense fight with no visible enemy." Daniel described the special relationship Donny and other soldiers in his unit formed with Smoke Pup:

"Smoke was the only bit of moral that made these kids forget where they were and cope with the tragedy we just experienced. It is amazing how therapeutic a little creature can be. Donny took care of that dog up until he was injured. Many of us in his Platoon would love nothing more than to see Smoke reunited with Donny. It would be the only decent thing we would see come from this place ... Donny will have a lot to deal with over the next year and Smoke could be a catalyst for recovery. … It’s funny how something as simple as a puppy can make even the hardest, toughened soldier melt upon a few kisses to the face."

They managed to raise thousands of dollars to fly Smoke to Florida, where Donny's father was there to pick him up so he could reunite him with his son.

Puppy love: Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger Sr. worked for months to have Smoke returned to his seriously injured son Donny

 

Morale booster: Sheriff Don Eslinger Sr. hopes that reuniting his son with his beloved dog will help the young man with his rehabilitation

 

Homecoming: Smoke arrived at Orlando International Airport

last week five months after it was arranged for

him to be reunited with Donny Eslinger

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the seven-month-old puppy arrived at Orlando International Airport last Wednesday, five months after staff sergeant Daniel organized for him to be returned to his owner.

Donny Sr. said he has arranged to board the dog with a veterinarian near Walter Reed so he can take him to visit his son. Donny has told his dad he can't wait to be reunited with his pup. "What a nice dog, I am so excited to see him and have Donny see him," Eslinger said. "It's going to be great."

Back together again: Donny Eslinger, who was seriously injured by a mortar, is reunited with the dog called Smoke who he rescued during his deployment in Afghanistan

Yet as excited as he was then, the feeling was even better when Smoke got to see Eslinger's son again. Smoke was once a pocket pooch, small enough for Donny to carry around in his backpack before the near-fatal mortar attack. Now, he's back at his master's side. "This dog Smoke will help him heal even faster. He's a strong kid and he's done remarkably well," said Donny's dad.

VIDEO:

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PUPPY RESCUE MISSION:

www.thepuppyrescuemission.org

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