Hortmans trained service dogs for veterans at local nonprofit
Melissa Hortman's work with nonprofit Helping Paws
The Hortmans worked with local nonprofit, Helping Paws, to help train service dogs for veterans. FOX 9's Maury Glover has more.
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Hortmans were big on community service before their tragic and untimely deaths.
‘Thankful every day that I have her’
Local perspective:
As a veteran who suffers from PTSD, Aric Elsner's constant companion Minnie helped bring him back from the brink.
"She is super chill and I need that. She gets me back out doing the things I need to do as a dad as a father," said Elsner.
But he says the service dog he's had for the last nine years wouldn't have been the perfect match if it weren't for Melissa Hortman and her family.
"Honestly, I have thought of the Hortmans every day since I've had Minnie because of this gift that I got," said Elsner.
Gift for giving
The backstory:
Helping Paws says the Hortmans began volunteering with the nonprofit in 2014, when their daughter signed up to train a service dog named Minnie.
The organization says after their daughter left for college, Mark finished Millie's training, before she was paired with Elsner.
"For someone to take that animal and put that much care and love into it and then to just give to somebody else just shows what kind of family they were," said Elsner.
Helping Paws says the Hortmans had such a positive experience with Minnie, that Melissa decided to train another service dog, Gilbert, about four years ago.
But when he didn't graduate from the training program, the Hortmans adopted him, making him a member of their family, until he was gravely injured in the same attack that killed Melissa and Mark and had to be euthanized.
"I don't have a lot of room in my heart for someone who would hurt an animal. Gilbert will be in our hearts and minds for a long time," said Helping Paws Executive Director, Alyssa Gobol.
Saving grace
What they're saying:
Elsner says the Hortmans made a difference in his life and he'll remember them every day with Minnie is by his side.
"Anyone who knows me knows what kind of place I was in before I got Minnie. Safe to say this dog saved me and the Hortmans saved me," said Elsner.
Helping Paws canceled all of its training classes on Monday night so their trainers and foster families who knew the Hortmans could come and grieve together.