Amid the ruins of Raqqa, a city ravaged by war, there was an anguished cry emanating from a severely damaged school. This incident took place in February 2018, after the city was liberated from ISIS. As experts in bomb disposal, we were cautious in approaching the situation, as we were well aware that the terrorists often used children’s cries to lure unsuspecting individuals into their traps.
We stumbled upon a Chihuahua who was cowering behind a solid concrete pedestal. He appeared to be petrified and was the only one left alive among his family members who had tragically lost their lives. As he had been born during the turmoil of war, we decided to give him the name Barry.
Although I was scared of dogs at first, I decided to give Barry a treat while wearing gloves. He nibbled on it carefully as I petted him gently. Before leaving, I made sure he had enough food and water and promised to come back soon.
Barry brought me a sense of optimism that I hadn’t felt since my discharge from the Army six years ago. Since returning home, I had been grappling with the aftermath of war and various personal challenges.
After a month of getting to know Barry, I found myself in the midst of the school’s wreckage, searching for him. Thankfully, I heard a co-worker calling out his name, and my anxiety was lifted. As I approached him, I reached out with my bare hand and tenderly stroked his head. In that moment, it just felt like the natural thing to do.
I had to take a big risk in order to gain Barry’s confidence.
