In 2011, United States Marine Nick Montez worked alongside Mally, a yellow Labrador retriever specializing in sniffing out bombs. They were on tour together in Afghanistan, and when Mally was called to serve elsewhere, Nick never thought he'd see his partner again.
After years of hoping, one phone call changed everything.
Nick Montez: US Marine
Nick Montez spent four years as a United States Marine, including a tour in Afghanistan in 2011. Before his deployment, though, Nick spent some time going through the Marine Corps' dog-handler program.
After completing the course, Nick was partnered with Mally, a yellow Labrador retriever who specialized in sniffing out bombs.
Mally Was Trained To Sniff Out IEDs
After they were partnered, Nick and Mally were deployed to Garmsir, Afghanistan. There, the duo worked together, with Mall sniffing the ground for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Their goal was to disarm the IEDs before it was set off and harmed fellow Marines or even civilians around the area. They worked rigorously together for a year.
They Kept Each Other Company
It was a difficult time for Nick, being away from his home in Lewiston, Idaho, and struggling to stay warm during the freezing winter nights. But it wasn't all bad since he had Mally to not only keep him company but to keep him warm.
It didn't take the two long to form an incredible bond.
Mally Was Reassigned
Sadly, after their tour in Afghanistan, Nick and Mally had to go their separate ways. The lab was going to be reassigned elsewhere, and Nick worried he would never see his partner again.
After getting the call they were going home, Nick and Mally hopped on an airplane back to the United States.
Nick Wanted To Say Goodbye
Nick, along with his fellow Marines and other dog handlers, were sent to the air station for the Marine Corps in Cherry Point, North Carolina. When they touched down, Nick thought he would have a few days to say goodbye to Mally.
He soon found out that was not the case.
Mally Was Loaded Up And Shipped Out
Nick was taking Mally out to go to the bathroom after the long flight back to the United States. That was when he saw a trailer pull up. It was filled with dog kennels.
He and the other dog handlers were told the dogs were to be loaded up and shipped out to their next assignments. Nick didn't have a chance to say goodbye.
It Was Beyond Difficult
According to Nick, loading Mally into the truck was one of the toughest things he had to do; he didn't want his partner to leave. But both of their lives went on.
Nick served in the Marines until 2013, when he was honorably discharged from service. Mally, however, was still needed in the corps.
Mally Was Sent To Texas
Mally was sent to work on the Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, and a day didn't go by that Nick didn't think about the lab. He actually hoped that one day, they would be reunited with one another.
He just didn't know how that would happen or when he would get another chance to see Mally.
Nick Filled Out Adoption Papers
Nick wasn't giving up on his partner, though. After he was discharged from service, Nick wasted no time filling out adoption papers with the Department of Defense.
After service dogs retired, the military liked to place them with people they were familiar with, such as a former handler. Still, Nick didn't know if he would be chosen since Mally worked with many people.
He Wanted His Partner Back
The two bonded together when they were in Afghanistan, and Nick wanted Mally to come home and stay with him for good.
He missed his partner and wanted to see her living the rest of her life in a comfortable home, especially after Mally's lived such as dangerous life as a service dog.
They Had An Unbreakable Bond
Nick and Mally trusted one another with their lives, having been on the ground sniffing out and disarming IEDs. It wasn't a bond that was easily broken.
It was that strong bond that had Nick filling out the adoption papers without hesitation. He thought about her every day and wanted his partner back.
Nick Wanted Information
Without even getting the chance to say goodbye, Nick would often ask about Mally and what she was up to in the service. He wouldn't get too many details, only that she was doing fine.
He wasn't getting much information because the training company he went through at the beginning of her service was being bought out by a bigger corporation. It was hard to get any information from them.
Little Information Was Being Passed Along
Nick had a very hard time getting in touch with anyone regarding his former partner. After the transition was completed, Nick couldn't get anyone on the phone who could help him locate Mally.
It was as if she had totally disappeared. Nick was heartbroken and began to think that it was the end of the line. He wasn't going to see her again.
Mally Was Stationed At Lackland Air Force Base
Finally, Nick learned Mally was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Sadly, she was not retiring anytime soon; she was still needed. The good news is Nick knew someone station at that exact base, Derek Brown.
Nick's friend gave him updates on Mally, a line of communication that continued for years.
Nick Just Wanted To See Mally One More Time
More and more time passed and Nick came to the realization that he may never be able to adopt Mally. If that was the case, all he wanted was to see her one more time.
But he knew that probably wasn't going to happen either since she was still in the service.
He Decided To Get A Tattoo
Losing hope of ever seeing his former partner again, Nick decided to get a tattoo dedicated to Mally. Located on the back of his calf, Nick got a tattoo of a dog paw print with Mally's name written in bold font over it.
On the bottom, he had her identification number, R798, inked. Mally had the same sequence tattooed behind her ear.
Derek Brown Got Some Answers
The tattoo was the least Nick could do to commemorate and remember Mally, his partner he'd been through so much with and who he missed dearly. Thankfully, Derek was finally getting some answers for his friend.
He let Nick know that Mally was okay but would still be in the service for a while longer.
A Call Went Out Every Six Months
Nick contacted Lackland Air Force Base every six months, checking in on Mally and asking if she was close to retirement. Sadly, the answer was always the same -- no.
Each time he got off the phone with the base, Nick felt helpless and discouraged, especially since there was nothing he could do about the situation.
Radio Silence
After communicating with the base every six to twelve months for a few years, Nick was taken completely off guard when they stopped talking to him. He got radio silence.
They stopped returning his phone calls and wouldn't even send him a response email regarding Mally. For all Nick knew, she'd retired and was already adopted.
He Gave Up Hope
The radio silence was the final straw. Nick had really given up hope of ever adopting Mally. That was when one of his friends stepped in. Donn Durgan hated seeing his friend so down about Mally.
And after his service in the Marines, Donn thought Nick was more than deserving of adopting Mally.
Donn Contacted Senator Mike Crapo
Donn then went and did something amazing; he called U.S. Senator Mike Crapo. He went on to explain to the senator Nick's situation, and how he wanted nothing more than to adopt his former partner.
Senator Crapo was moved by the story and gave his full support to reuniting the two former partners.
A Letter Came In The Mail
Nick went through an emotional roller coaster for years. He didn't want to be let down again or get his hopes up. He was pretty much done with the adoption, thinking it was pointless to pursue any further.
Nick really thought it was all over until he received a letter from the office of Senator Mike Crapo.
Finally, A Call From The Air Force Base
Less than 12 hours after Nick received the letter he got a phone call from the colonel stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. He apologized for the lack of communication, even calling Nick by his first name!
Apparently, a phone call from the senator was enough to scare people a little bit! Nick was finally getting some information on Mally.
The Adoption Was Approved!
It was a long road but nearly three years since Nick gave up hope and seven years after Mally was taken away from his side, he got a phone call. Mally's service was almost up and she was about to retire.
Better yet, she was in need of a loving home and Nick's adoption papers were approved if he was still interested!
He'd See Mally In A Few Weeks
Nick was at his job at Clearwater Paper when he got the call. He said that his stomach just dropped when he heard the news. After years of roadblocks and radio silence, Mally was finally coming home!
He couldn't believe it. Now, it was just a matter of weeks until he'd see Mally again.
"She's Going To Be A Princess"
The plans for Mally began rolling through Nick's head. She was going to become a family dog for him and his young daughter. They were going to go on hikes together, go camping, and he was even going to let her sleep on the bed!
According to Nick, "She's going to be a princess."
One Last Obstacle: Travel
Mally had been working her entire life, first as a bird dog and then a bomb sniffer. It was time she retired and relaxed, becoming an ordinary lazy family dog.
But there was one more thing Nick had to figure out. Mally was in Texas, and he was in Idaho; he was going to have to travel to get her.
Mission K9 Rescue Wanted To Help
The travel plans and money to get Mally back started to make Nick feel as though he'd hit another roadblock. Then, Mission K9 Rescue stepped in to help.
The nonprofit organization's mission is to reunite handlers with their service dogs after they retire. After hearing Nick's story, they paid for all of the travel expenses!
A Friend's Mom Helped Out Too
Mission K9 Rescue wasn't the only one helping Nick and Mally. The mother of one of Nick's friends knew how much Mally meant to him, so she set up a donation.
The donation service was to help Mally transfer from service life to civilian life more easily, with the help of money, toys, and other goodies.
Nick Donated All Of The Proceeds
Nick was amazed by the number of donations rolling through. But he knew Mally was going to be just fine. So, Nick wound up donating the proceeds to two foundations.
First, he donated 25% to the Lewis-Clark Animal Shelter and the final 75% to Mission K9 Rescue since they were the reason Mally was coming home.
Lastly, Final Paperwork
Finally, the day came when Nick arrived at Lackland Air Force Base. He was met at the door by his long-term contact and taken inside to fill out some final paperwork.
After everything was finalized, Nick was able to see Mally. According to Nick, while he was beyond excited, he was a bit nervous, too. It'd been years since the two saw one another.
A Hug And A Tail Wag
When Nick saw Mally, he couldn't believe his eyes. After years of waiting, he was finally reunited with his former partner. And it looked as though Mally didn't forget him.
She walked right out of her kennel and straight up to Nick, wagging her tail. Mally remembered who Nick was and continued wagging her tail when he bent down to give her a big hug.
They Were Home
Nick and Mally finally touched down in Idaho. And, to Nick's surprise, they were greeted by a whole lot of people. A motorcade escorted them over Memorial Bridge, and Mally didn't hesitate to stick her head out the window and enjoy the fresh air.
The motorcade wasn't the only thing there to greet the war heroes, though.
A Hero's Welcome
To his surprise, people lined the bridge, cheering as they passed with American flags and homemade signs. They were touched by Nick's story and were excited to see the two partners reunited.
Nick was beyond touched. He didn't expect so much attention! All he was looking forward to was giving Mally a long, happy life.
