A soldier gives his K-9 partner one final hug and stays by his side till the very end

While serving in the United States Air Force, Sargeant Kyle Smilth and his German Shepherd partner, Bodza, became friends. Bodza had been a bomb detector since 2006, smelling out bombs and preserving lives. In 2012, Smith and Bodza started working together, and the two soon got very close.

Smith told The Dodo, “I liked working with him because he taught me so much, including patience as a new handler and realizing that this job isn’t just about you.

Over the years, they collaborated on numerous missions, and when Bodza was ready to retire, Sargeant Smith made the decision to adopt him.

He said, “I brought him home that day.

At home, he was much more devoted, according to Smith. He was all over the place with me. He would say “Good night” each night as he laid his head flat against the bed. Up until his diagnosis with degenerative myelopathy, a canine spinal cord condition that is incurable, in the summer of 2016, Bodza’s retirement was a joyous time for him.

Smith said, “His rear limbs had lost use, and he could hardly stand up, much less walk.” His body was under too much stress, and using the restroom was difficult for him. Bodza had to be put to sleep, which is a choice no pet owner ever wants to have to make.
Bodza was transported to the Fort Bliss Veterinary Clinic in El Paso, Texas, by Kyle and nine colleagues.
In the owner’s arms, he passed away quietly after being covered in a blanket.

“I was holding Bodza as he died,” Smith explained.”It was a whirlwind of events.”It was simply overwhelming.”Fortunately, his coworkers were there to help him.

Smith explained, “They let me cry like a baby.””They patted me on the back and assured me that everything would be fine.My boss immediately went and got a flag, draped it over him, and let me have one last moment with him.”

Bodza was happy in his final moments even though he had already crossed the rainbow. Smith recalled that the man was grinning when he was put to sleep. I will always remember how devoted he was, Smith remarked.