Development News
Lance Corporal Colton Rusk with Eli
by Christina B. Sumners
Eli’s Fund supports America’s heroes When Sgt. William Cole returned from serving his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan, he was haunted by nightmares and depression. Traditional therapy and medications failed to heal Cole, but soon a new friend, a Labrador retriever named Hank, would help Cole find peace. Just as Hank was helping Cole get his life back, the young dog fell victim to a car accident after escaping from his backyard, leaving him with severe, life-threatening injuries. Fortunately for Hank, he was brought to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), where highly trained veterinarians worked as a team to address Hank’s injuries. After initial treatment and surgeries, Cole was told the prognosis 104 •
• Summer 2015
was not good for Hank to survive. Lifethreatening injuries required a 16-day stay in intensive care. However, the early intervention and care he received at the VMTH have given Hank a second chance, and for Cole, that was the biggest gift of all. Due to Cole’s circumstances, the VMTH was able to use money from two sources to reduce Hank’s more than $11,500 bill significantly. Established to provide financial support for special cases, and in recognition of the special bond between humans and animals, the Capper and Chris Save the Animals Fund was used to help offset the cost of Hank’s care. Notable former Texas A&M University student Lowry Mays ’57 also stepped in to help, covering the remainder of Hank’s bill.
In response to Hank’s story, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) development council member Dr. Mike Moore ’79 of Corpus Christi, Texas, has established Eli’s Fund, a source of financial support for active duty service men and women, medically retired veterans’ service dogs, and retired military dogs with veterinary bills at the CVM. Moore’s original $5,000 gift to the Texas A&M Foundation to create Eli’s Fund honored Colton Rusk, of Orange Grove, Texas, and his military working dog, Eli, whose family Moore knows well through his work on behalf of wounded warriors and their families. After Rusk’s death in active duty in 2010, Eli refused to work or even move from Rusk’s cot at their base, so he