Roy Iveson was a hospital corpsman in California during the Korean war, serving with the United States Navy. During this time Roy, as with most soldiers, buried his emotions as his way of surviving what he witnessed every day.

Upon returning home to Kansas, Roy was unable to hold his new son or wife, severing emotional connections with those he loved most.

When his wife, Doris, passed in 2014, everything came to the surface. Roy began having nightmares of all the men and boys who died in his arms. After contemplating suicide, a counselor informed him he suffered from PTSD and suggested a service dog. Roy knew this was not an option due to the cost of a service dog, and being 82 years old.

A neighbor brought Roy a black puppy he had found at the dump. Roy knew the puppy was a gift from Jesus Christ and named her Sally. He went to his knees in thanks and asked “Lord, what do I do now?” Roy, with the oversight of a trainer, trained Sally who is now Roy’s certified service dog.

In 2015, local veterans began asking Roy to help them find a dog – and One Veteran One Dog Two Lives Saved was formed. He would have liked to place service dogs with every veteran, although due to the training required, most are companions and bond as an inseparable team. He has seen firsthand what a dog can do on his/her own to help a veteran with their anxiety, withdrawal from society and disabilities without official training. Roy resides in Grove, OK with Sally by his side.