There are so many qualities to admire in dogs, but devotion is near the top of the list. That loyalty may be shown when a dog is a member of the family as well as on the front lines. Marine veteran Jeff DeYoung is a guy who is more familiar with this than others.
DeYoung met his dog, Cena, through a personality test when he was just 19 years old. For three tours in Afghanistan, the black lab sniffed out bombs. DeYoung is a combat engineer, and he said the dog kept him warm at night in the desert and comforted him after seven comrades died in a three-week period.
When he came back to the United States, Cena became his companion. DeYoung adopted Cena as a service dog in 2014 due to his PTSD. Things changed in mid-July when the dog was diagnosed with serious bone cancer.
“I’ve had Cena my entire adult life,” DeYoung told the Marine Corps Times. “I had Cena when I was 19 and learning how to be responsible internationally.” And now I’m 27 and have to say goodbye to one of the most important parts of my life.”
With only a few days left for his devoted buddy, Andy Young made a bucket list for him. It consisted of a ride in his Jeep Wrangler.
They drove the Jeep with the top down to say their final goodbyes. A procession of jeeps and motorbikes followed them as they commemorated Cena’s life.
Over 100 people had gathered to pay tribute to the 10-year-old Labrador. Civilians and veterans approached the dog to pet and kiss him before saluting him. Young then took him aboard the USS LST 393, a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan, where he was buried.
Here is the video:
