John is a sweet quiet man who lives in Humble, Texas. In fact, he lives in the same house that he grew up in as a boy. When John was 18, he enlisted in the Navy. Soon, he was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 when he was just 19. John served his country proudly. But when John returned home, tragedy struck when an accident left John paralyzed in a wheelchair and with severe memory problems.
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John became isolated and depressed. Fortunately, John's sister Catherine, who lives with John and takes care of him, knew just what to do to help John with his loneliness and depression: A Paws for Heroes dog! Vinny was rescued off of the streets in Rosenberg and saved by Fort Bend County Animal Control.
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Vinny was the perfect companion for John. A short sidekick with a huge personality and Southern charm just like his Dad John. Soon Vinny had John laughing and smiling and bringing a new perspective on life and healing. Sadly, John passed away from a heart attack on May 11, 2018. John's sweet sister Catherine now cares for Vinny.