Fallen Marine's service dog finds love and healing in new home

The 2022 comedy-drama movie “Dog,” starring Channing Tatum, tells the story of Army Ranger Briggs, who is tasked with bringing Lulu, a military working dog, to the funeral of Lulu’s handler. But for Tammie Ashley, a mother of three living in California, “Dog” is more than a movie — it’s her family’s story.

Ashley’s son, Marine Sgt. Joshua Ashley and military dog handler, was leading a patrol out of Zombalay Village in the Helmand Valley in Afghanistan in 2012, when he was hit by an improvised exploding device and killed. He was 23. His dog, Sirius, survived.

“They came and knocked on my door, just like you see on television,” Ashley told TODAY Parents via phone. “I couldn’t even concentrate. I felt like I was going to throw up. It was to the point that my oldest son had to tell them to stop talking.”

A hero’s homecoming
In February, 2016, after his second deployment, Sirius was allowed to go home to Ashley and her family.

“They did a wonderful job at Camp Lejeune — they did an actual retirement ceremony for him,” Ashley said. “As soon as I signed the paperwork to get him, we ended up taking him to Dunkin Donuts to eat some donuts. Then we came back to Camp Lejeune to let everybody say goodbye.”

Saving each other
After his second deployment, Sirius was injured in the kennels. The injury was primarily to his mouth — treatment was expensive and required inserting metal plates in his mouth.

“Honestly, they would have probably put him down if he wasn’t promised to a Gold Star mom,” Ashley explained. “They spent thousands of dollars in getting him well enough to be sent home to me.”

In no uncertain terms, Ashley saved Sirius. And she said Sirius saved her.

“For me, it was comforting for me,” she said. “Josh never had children. Sirius was his baby. Handlers are the ‘daddies’ of those dogs. Just having him there and knowing he was part of Josh helped me.”

As time went on, it became clear that Sirius was suffering.

“For six months, we would go for walks and I would have to pick him up,” she said. “It got the point that Sirius wouldn’t know that he was relieving himself in my house.”

Ashley told her oldest son about Sirius, and he came over to help care for Sirius at night so Ashley could sleep.

Saying goodbye
On May 22, 2021, Ashley and her oldest son took Sirius to the veterinarian to put him to sleep.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Ashley said, beginning to cry. “Thank god my son was there, because I was there when they gave him the medication just to relax. At that point, I started crying looking in his eyes, telling him I’m so sorry. I know he trusted me. I just told him he’s going to be with his dad.”

Ashley left the room, unable to handle what was to come, while her son stayed with Sirius so he wouldn’t be alone as the veterinarian gave him the medication to put him to sleep. Ashley wept alone in her car.

Keeping a military dog handler’s story alive
Ashley wasn’t sure if she could handle watching “Dog,” though she certainly wanted to see the film and its portrayal of the reality she has lived.

“My son said, ‘Mom, I think you’ll be OK. Let’s go,” she said. “It looked funny, and it was funny. But the hardest part was when they went to the cemetery and LuLu went to his boots and laid near his boots. And they were shooting the guns for the 21 gun salute, and (Tatum) went over and held Lulu. I used to do that with Sirius. Anytime that we were at any functions — like Memorial Day or something — and they put off the guns, I would have to do the same thing. So that part killed me.”