Gold Star spouse Jillian Hinton and her service dog, Kylo, a one-year old male black Labrador Retriever and the nation’s first Gold Star service dog. (Dogs Inc)
Gold Star spouse Jillian Hinton lost her husband, U.S. Army Sgt. Terrence Hinton on Mother’s Day in 2017 during a training accident in Hawaii. Terrence left behind his wife, and their two children, Cayleigh and Christian.
In the years that followed, the family struggled to navigate their grief. Cayleigh, just 5 years old at the time, carried the loss heavily, despite counseling and every effort Jillian made to help her heal — not realizing how much of her own trauma she was carrying.
Their path forward shifted in 2020 when Dogs Inc — a nonprofit that places expertly trained guide, service, therapy and companion dogs with those who need them — paired a female black Labrador Retriever named Taylor with Cayleigh, helping her “trust and love again.”
Cayleigh Hinton and her skilled companion dog, Taylor. (Dogs Inc)
In October, the organization’s newly expanded Gold Star service dog program paired Jillian with Kylo, a male black Labrador Retriever that the nonprofit says is the nation’s first Gold Star service dog.
“It’s almost like I’ve been struck by lightning twice in the best way from Dogs Inc,” Jillian said last week. “Having Taylor come in and just change her (Cayleigh’s) whole outlook on life was incredible, and now the same thing is being done for me with Kylo. Dogs Inc has given me my entire life back. I don’t just get through days anymore. I’m living.”
Though Gold Star families have been eligible to receive skilled companion dogs through Dogs Inc, the newly expanded program is the first to allow a surviving family member with a qualifying disability to receive a highly trained service dog to help cope with anxiety, PTSD and other daily challenges.
“These dogs will enable Gold Star family members to re-engage with life,” said Amy Bernard, director of the Service Dog Program at Dogs Inc. “We’re honored to provide the nation’s first service dog for a Gold Star family member with Jillian. We see this as another way to honor their loved one’s sacrifice — by helping heal the pain that their loss has left behind.”
Kylo, a one-year old male black Labrador Retriever and the nation’s first Gold Star service dog provided by Dogs Inc. (Dogs Inc)
Dogs Inc carefully matches each service dog to a person with a thorough prematch process, which includes an interview and home visit. They gather information about a person’s lifestyle, needs and daily routines — such as travel, energy level and social activities — to ensure the dog can fit seamlessly into their life.
“The day that he (Kylo) arrived, he ran into the room like he had been headed toward me his entire life,” Jillian said with misty eyes. “I felt the weight just lift off of me,” adding that although Kylo can’t completely take the weight of grief away, he helps her carry it.
Jillian travels frequently for work and has high energy, so she needed a dog that could handle flying, large events and crowds and stay focused without getting distracted.
Kylo proved to be the perfect companion. Just two weeks after receiving him, Jillian recalled stepping on stage to give a speech about how her son is carrying on his father’s legacy of service in the Army. When her voice cracked while speaking, Kylo immediately sensed it and came to comfort her, giving gentle pressure and support.
“There’s no such thing as a perfect dog. Just a perfect match,” Jillian said, adding that Kylo is also a ball of energy and super goofy which keeps their days fun.
Receiving a Gold Star service dog comes at no cost to the family, with Dogs Inc covering food, veterinary care and preventative expenses.
“They (Dogs Inc) owed me nothing, and they gave me everything,” Jillian said. “I can’t think of any other time in my life when there were so many strangers that were working to give me a gift that, at times, I felt like I didn’t deserve.”
Since receiving Kylo, Jillian has been able to manage her own grief with a renewed sense of purpose. She now serves as an ambassador for Dogs Inc, and hopes to share her story to raise awareness about the life-changing impact service dogs can have on Gold Star families.
“The dog asks for nothing in return and neither does Dogs Inc,” Jillian said. “They (Gold Star families) are not alone in what they’re going through. They don’t have to do it by themselves.”
