The pillars of Officer Rami were discipline, composure in stressful situations, and good commitment.
Lari was a German Shepherd like him and a loyal and focused K9 partner.
They were an elite unit and they were given risky missions and emergencies.
They were not just professional.
They had a connection that most people could not comprehend after years of training, night patrols and near-death experiences.
But this was to change in a mission that was supposed to be easy.
They suddenly heard an explosion close to their team.
There was a pandemonium and dust and debris were flying.
The dust settled and Rami was unconscious.
His helmet was broken, and his pulse weak.
He was transported by helicopter to the nearest trauma center.
There, the doctors gave the terrible news: Rami had a serious brain injury and was in a coma.
Weeks passed.
Rami made no movement.
He was on machines to keep him alive and he did not appear to be waking up.
Doctors monitored his brain activity daily, and it did not improve.
His family stayed with him and they were hoping that a miracle would occur but the doctors were preparing them to the worst.
The hard conversations began at some point- should they withdraw life support?
The family had one final request as they grappled with the decision, that Lari visit Rami.
Lari had been acting jittery and fidgety since the accident, like he had some idea of what was going on.
Immediately Lari was brought into the hospital room, he changed.
He came in quietly, with his ears up, his tail down, his eyes open.
Then he saw that Rami was in bed.
Lari came at first very timorously.
Then something occurred.
He began to bark–insistently and loudly.
He jumped into the bed and pawed Rami, licked his fingers, and nudged his arm, and would not be put off.
The nurses saw, felt and marveled.
It seemed like a final goodbye but it was more than that.
And suddenly one of the nurses gasped–Rami was moving his finger.
His heart monitor went up.
One of his eyes opened a little.
One of the doctors stepped out and said to Rami, Rami, can you hear me, squeeze my hand.
After a few seconds, Rami weakly held the hand of the doctor.
Everyone in the room jumped up.
The health care professionals conducted tests, handled equipment, and referred to specialists.
Rami had replied, against all odds–the first time in weeks.
It was like a miracle.
And there in the middle of it all was Lari, still on the bed, tail wagging, as though he had done something great.
In the next several weeks, Rami faced many issues.
His body was debilitated and his speech was slow to recover.
Physical therapy was difficult.
But Lari never gave him up.
He would go to therapy, spend time with Rami on bad days and nights.
The doctors and nurses witnessed something amazing, Rami would always improve more in the presence of Lari.
The dog was not only a pet.
Rami was supported by him.
Rami was now able to go home.
He remembered his family, his childhood, the bark of Lari–not the mission.
He had not yet recalled the explosion and the reason of it.
One night, as Rami was looking through old photos with his mother, he stopped at a photo of two soldiers leaning on a Humvee.
Who is that with you, he said, pointing to the other man.
That is Odell, his mother said.
He was your fellow-soldier in that enterprise.
An idea flashed in the mind of Rami.
Then, suddenly, the memories returned–Odell suggesting a different course, the confusion that had ensued, and then the explosion.
Rami remembered that he had protested against the idea of Odell–and then the explosion.
He was deceived.
Rami informed his commanders about what he remembered.
An investigation was launched.
They later retrieved deleted mission data, such as video footage that indicated that Odell had been flouting the rules and had endangered the team.
The facts were clear.
Even worse-Odell had never visited Rami or even asked about him since the incident.
That silence was something now.
Rami was absolved of any crime and was back on active duty.
The truth was now out–thanks to Lari.
On the first day he returned to the base, Rami was greeted outside the kennels by Lari, who was wagging his tail.
He fell on his knees, put a friendly hand on the head of Lari, and said, in a low voice, You have not only saved my life.
You reminded me.”
At that instant, when he was in the open air and his good friend was at his side, Rami knew one thing:
No evil, no treason, no threat could ever break the bond between them.
They had experienced the unbelievable.
And they were ready, both of them, to meet whatever was to be next–stronger than ever.
