This is loyalty

Lisa Pembleton / Getty Images
Labrador retriever Hawkeye lays by the casket during the funeral of his owner, Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, 35, on August 19, 2011. Tumilson was one of 38 killed on August 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan.
By Scott Stump TODAY.com contributor


Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson lay in a coffin, draped in an American flag, in front of a tearful audience mourning his death in Afghanistan. Soon an old friend appeared, and like a fellow soldier on a battlefield, his loyal dog refused to leave him behind.
Tumilson’s Labrador retriever, Hawkeye, was photographed lying by Tumilson’s casket in a heart-wrenching image taken at the funeral service in Tumilson’s hometown of Rockford, Iowa, earlier this week. Hawkeye walked up to the casket at the beginning of the service and then dropped down with a heaving sigh as about 1,500 mourners witnessed a dog accompanying his master until the end.

The photo was snapped by Tumilson’s cousin, Lisa Pembleton, and posted on her Facebook page in memory of the San Diego resident. Tumilson, 35, was one of 30 American troops, including 22 Navy SEALs, who were killed when a Taliban insurgent shot down a Chinook helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade on Aug. 6.
“I felt compelled to take one photo to share with family members that couldn't make it or couldn't see what I could from the aisle,” Pembleton wrote on her Facebook page. “To say that he was an amazing man doesn't do him justice. The loss of Jon to his family, military family and friends is immeasurable.’’

Hawkeye was such a huge part of Tumilson’s life that Tumilson’s family followed the dog down the aisle as they entered the service in front of a capacity crowd in the gymnasium at the Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock Community School. Hawkeye then followed Tumilson’s good friend, Scott Nichols, as Nichols approached the stage to give a speech. As Nichols prepared to memorialize his friend, Hawkeye dutifully laid down near the casket.









The youngest of three children, Tumilson had wanted to be a Navy SEAL since he was a teenager. Friends and his two older sisters remembered a fearless soldier, and a Power Point presentation was shown that illustrated Tumilson’s active life outside of the military, which included scuba diving, martial arts, and triathlons.

"If J.T. had known he was going to be shot down when going to the aid of others, he would have went anyway," friend Boe Nankivel said at the service.
“Your dreams were big and seemed impossible to nearly everyone on the outside," his sister, Kristie Pohlman, said at the service. "I always knew you'd somehow do what you wanted."
As for Hawkeye, the loyal Labrador will now be owned by Nichols, Tumilson’s friend.



if repost sorry

 

I'm sharing this story. Makes me sick I need to see this on TW rather than in the media that is too busy reporting on stupid shiz.

 

dang thats awesome...

a mans best friend right there..

 

it did the same to me ^^

 

x3

 

Do you have a link to the original article?

 

found it on facebook

 

x4..

 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44271018/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/t/dog-mourns-casket-fallen-navy-seal/#.TlZ1Y2b5I9t

choked me up too. what a great dog.

 

Wow... getting me all choked up here at the office.

 

Thats REAL LOYALTY all right, wish my dog was that loyal.

 

I always say your dog is the only loyal buddy you got in this world.that's some sad shit

 

Damnit. Now I'm ballin at work!

 

Was on CNN yesterday.

 

x5.....

Dog=mans best friend...
I would like to think mine would do the same...

 

Wow very touching and a sad story as they all are sad but this was really moving. I got an e-mail similar to this once I get to work I will post it in this tread to share with you guys.

 

Impressive

Pretty much destroys the notion that animals have no emotions

 

Makes me feel like a jerk for getting mad at my pup for dropping her ball at my feet all morning. I'm gonna go out and throw it with her for a while now. Thanks for the post!