In 2012, Kyle Smith formed a strong bond with his military working dog, Bodza, during their deployment in Kyrgyzstan. As a member of the US Air Force, Kyle worked closely with Bodza and decided to give him a well-deserved retirement when the time came. Their friendship endured and Kyle decided to adopt his loyal companion to ensure he had a comfortable and happy life after their time together in the military.
As the couple enjoyed numerous meaningful years together, Bodza was unfortunately afflicted by a degenerative ailment that affected his spinal cord at the young age of 11.
During the bittersweet moment of bidding his beloved pet goodbye, Kyle was surprised to find his superiors unexpectedly appeared at the vet’s office with an American flag in hand. Moved by the gesture, Kyle gently placed the flag over his loyal military dog as a final tribute.
“Looking back, he was amazed by the kindness of strangers who went out of their way to help a dog they had never even seen before. It was a heartwarming farewell for him that day.”
Kyle expressed his fondness for his dog by saying, “What I loved most about him was that he was always there, regardless of what I was doing. He just wanted to be by my side sharing the moment. I think we all have that one dog who holds a special place in our hearts.”
“I was in a committed relationship with that dog, and then we parted ways,” Kyle shared. “Now that I’m going to be a father, the only thing that saddens me is that I wish my son could have known him when he was still around. He was truly the most loving pet on the planet.”