Trailer: BY MY SIDE
Preview: 11/8/2023 | 2m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
An intimate portrait of three veterans suffering from the “invisible wound.”
Three veterans and their families bravely share their pain, fear, and the difficult realization that they’ve lost time and love that they may never get back again. All three found hope where no one had looked—in the heart of a faithful service dog.
GI Film Festival San Diego is a local public television program presented by KPBS
Trailer: BY MY SIDE
Preview: 11/8/2023 | 2m 43sVideo has Closed Captions
Three veterans and their families bravely share their pain, fear, and the difficult realization that they’ve lost time and love that they may never get back again. All three found hope where no one had looked—in the heart of a faithful service dog.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- Zane, heel.
With me.
- All right.
You're good.
Cars parking.
(explosion resounds) - Whoa.
- We're good, Zane.
We're good.
Thank you.
- Across.
- Good boy.
(sirens wail) We're good.
Thank you.
(sirens wail) - [Mary] Chris, where are you?
- We're good, buddy.
- [Mary] Chris, Chris, where are you?
- We're good.
- [Mary] Where'd you go?
- Where all the loud noises are on the ship.
(somber music) - I started feeling really weird.
I would just drive to the ER because I felt like my chest was gonna explode, you know?
And they're like, "Well, you're fine."
I said, well, I don't really feel fine.
- I concluded my service partially because I came out and the witch hunts and living in fear.
Don't ask, don't tell.
Also because of sexual assault.
- When he came back, it got really ugly really fast.
- The nightmares started getting more intense.
My coping mechanism back then was drink 'til I passed out to try to get that good night's sleep, but, in reality, I was only making it worse.
- [Mary] The person that left is very different than the person that came back because now they're injured.
They're wounded.
Some of those wounds are invisible.
- [Kim] I didn't understand how service dogs could help with PTSD.
- [Mary] There are so many different ways a service dog is a lifeline.
It's tethering them to the here and the now.
A reconnection to family, unconditional love.
- Since I've got Huey, him and I have been inseparable.
You know, he just comforts me in so many different ways.
- The brain chemistry and the brain wiring that promotes social behavior looks most alike in humans and in dogs.
They are most like us in the brain systems of friendship.
- I was taking on more responsibilities when I really didn't have myself in order, but I know we were excited as a family to have something new in our lives.
- [Kim] Artemis has affected my entire life.
We're learning to do things that I had no idea dogs could learn.
- What I want you to do right now is come back into the present moment.
Zane makes you happy, right?
- I love this dog.
- Okay.
- I love him.
(kiss resounds) Thank you for bringing me back.
GI Film Festival San Diego is a local public television program presented by KPBS