When Matthew Kropp was in Iraq working for the United States military, he was never alone. He had a military dog named Tina that was his constant companion. Together, the two worked to prevent explosives from entering the U.S. embassy. But the two didn’t just work together. Matthew says that Tina is who kept him alive both mentally and physically while he was deployed.

Unfortunately, the two were separated in December 2017 because Tina was too old to be working anymore. She was retired from service leaving Matthew devastated.

“Without her I wouldn’t be able to live,” said Matthew. Even though he had a gaping hole in his heart, Matthew continued his service and finally was able to return to the States and his wife and children.

However, something was still missing. That something was Tina. That’s when K9 Hero Haven stepped in. Anne Gibbs, who runs K9 Hero Haven was determined to track Tina down for Matthew. That’s exactly what she did. Through her organization, who finds homes and adopts retired military dogs, Anne was able to find Tina and reconnect the two.

The reunion had been over one year in the making, and Matthew was incredibly nervous. He prayed that she would remember him and be as excited to see him as he was to see her.

Check out the heartwarming reunion in the video below and be sure to share it with your family and friends.