October 06, 2015
Warrior Canine Connection/Facebook
U.S. Army veteran Justin Lansford chose his canine companion, Gabe, as his best man.
Saturday was a special day for U.S. Army veteran Justin Lansford as he married his longtime girlfriend, all with his best, four-legged friend by his side, "Good Morning America" reports.
After losing his left leg in an IED explosion in Afghanistan in 2012, Lansford was paired with Gabe, a then-2-year-old Golden Retriever support dog.
"I was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and we were in eastern Afghanistan in early 2012," he told ABC News' Lara Spencer in 2014. "We struck an IED and it flipped my truck completely. I had bilaterally severed femurs which resulted in the amputation of my left leg."
Since then, the two have developed a special bond. So naturally, when it came time for Lansford's big day, it was only right for him to have Gabe, his best man, stand beside him.
Lansford and his now wife Carol have been together since high school. With Gabe's help, he proposed on Veterans Day last year.
Gabe II is a member of the first graduating class of the Warrior Canine Connection in Brookeville, Maryland.
"When we speak of the bond between a Warrior and his service dog, we're often filled with pride and joy," the Warrior Canine Connection wrote in a post on Facebook. "Wishing Justin, Carol, and Gabe, a lifetime of joy. May you live happily ever after!"
