A veteran, a dog, and another chance at life

Remy and Babineau MARY WOZNIAK / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Veteran George Babineau sat at a picnic bench at the VOA Veterans’ Village with his service dog, Remy, at his side, watching the buzz of activity by what seemed like an army of orange-shirted volunteers working to renovate the grounds.

Behind him was a hand-lettered sign hanging on a chain link fence with the words “Remy’s Hugging Station.”

Babineau has been a resident at the village since the day before New Year’s Eve, or what he calls “New Year’s Eve Eve.”

He didn’t expect to be here.

He had planned to kill himself on New Year’s Eve.

It would be the end of a spiral that seemed to accelerate after his RV burned down last July.

Babineau had been living at a hotel with Remy. The money was running out.

“I had no idea what was going to happen to me. I was at the point where, on New Year’s Eve, if I didn’t find a solution, I was going to end my life. I just wanted to end my pain and everyone else’s pain.”

Babineau wasn’t sure how he would go about it — but the more he thought about it, he realized, “I can’t do that to Remy.”

Remy had been trained by the military using pheromones, Babineau said. The dog had been with him for the last three years.

“He’s a trained service dog with an unbelievable heart.”

Babineau suffered from anxiety attacks and seizures, and Remy was able to detect it when one was imminent. The dog is able to alert him ahead of time — if Babineau pays attention to the warning. One time he didn’t and suffered a major seizure. Remy began barking for help and stood guard over him. The dog had also been taught to recognize first responders such as police and firefighters — and wouldn’t let anyone other than emergency personnel touch him, he said.

Babineau had served in the Army as an MP for four years, from 1985 through the end of 1989. It was during the Reagan years, the Cold War was near an end and facing budget cuts, the military decided on a reduction in forces.

When Babineau was discharged, he was told the only military benefit he could receive was for education, he said.

Babineau ended up getting two associate degrees and a bachelor’s degree. But, 30 years later, he felt he had run out of options.

Still, there was Remy, with his unconditional love and loyalty. The next day, instead of planning his suicide, he called a local veterans’ liaison who checked into his story and sent someone from the St. Vincent de Paul Society over to see him. Soon, Babineau found himself living at the village. The liaison also found out that Babineau had been eligible for full veterans’ benefits in the 34 years since his discharge.

“A lot of veterans have no hope for the future,” Babineau said. “I’ve been here three months now. This has been the greatest eye-opening promise that there is a future. I can only go up from here — and I am.” ¦

The post A veteran, a dog, and another chance at life first appeared on Charlotte County Florida Weekly .