Now was the time for them to return the favor.
While U.S. Corporal Tommie Johnson was stationed in Eastern Europe, morale was low. It was in the middle of the pandemic, and the Marines were very limited in what they were allowed to do.
But then a miracle happened.
“Everyone was tired of the same monotonous things, seeing the same people, going to work and then going back to sleep in these little rooms. So morale got really low and depressing,” Johnson said.
Puppies are some of the greatest happiness generators on the planet.
And that’s exactly what these discouraged Marines found to lift their spirits.
Johnson’s crew discovered a pack of six puppies on the side of the road. They appeared to be about 6 months old and not in great shape.
One of them was seriously injured. Speculation was that she had been hit by a car. She had a fractured hip and a broken leg that was already healing, a vet told us.
So we were told to watch to make sure he was healing properly,” Johnson said.
These tiny fur babies were also able to endure the brutal cold in Krtsanisi, Georgia, where temperatures can turn freezing overnight.
“They all weighed less than five pounds and looked like little meatballs, as they were bloated from malnutrition. »
Caring for the puppies and making sure they got their heartworm medication and healed well helped the homesick Marines find some joy in their lives.