Latest news with #Hurricane'sHeroes
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Yahoo
American K9 hero dies, legacy lives on
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — We are Southern Colorado, and last month, we said goodbye to the most decorated K9 in our government's history, K9 Hurricane. Although the American hero has died, his heroic acts aren't done yet. His legacy lives on through retired police and military dogs like K9 Broc. 'These dogs are heroes. High-performance athletes that were heroes,' said Southern Colorado Officer Brian Kelly, who worked with and takes care of Broc. Officer Kelly and K9 Broc have found lots of criminals and narcotics in the Pikes Peak Region. 'He's in retirement now. So obviously, he takes advantage of the liberties that are afforded to him, where he can just… be a dog,' said Officer Kelly. However, retirement for hardworking dogs like Broc often comes with an unfortunate reality. 'They do just a lot of things that are hard on their body. So after they retire, we incur all the costs,' said Officer Kelly. Hurricane's retirement came shortly after being rushed to the ER, all because he put his life on the line to stop an intruder at the White House. 'He got picked up all the way (to) head level, six foot, slammed on the ground, punched, kicked. He got beat pretty bad, but he never, never gave up. I watched something with a heartbeat willing to die for me, and that that's the most special moment of my life,' said Marshall Mirarchi, Former Secret Service Special Operations K9 Handler. Caring for Hurricane in retirement could've been very expensive for Mirarchi, but with the national attention, charities stepped in to cover his veterinary costs. 'I got this overwhelming feeling of guilt that, I can't have this special care and treatment and community for my dog, when all his brothers and sisters out there working don't have the same thing,' said Mirarchi. That's when the non-profit Hurricane's Heroes was born. It provides medical coverage to retired law enforcement and military dogs since the government does not. Mirarchi is headed back to D.C. next week to advocate for a bill that would establish a grant program to help retired federal working dogs get the medical care they need. 'A lot of times when these dogs retire, they're beat up. They've been through a lot. They don't make it too long,' said Mirarchi. 'So we try to step in and make sure that the dogs get as many years as they can possibly get because those moments are so special.' They've raised almost a million dollars since 2019. If you'd like to donate to Hurricane's Heroes, you can pick up his treats at Pet Pantry, and profits will go toward his nonprofit. You can also click here. Since laying Hurricane to rest, the non-profit has a new sense of purpose to serve the heroes on their wait list. 'That was the last thing I said to him before he passed away, that, 'you know, you served your purpose, your job is completed… We're going to all carry on your legacy and your mission,'' said Mirarchi. 'If they could talk, they would be like, 'Take care of all the other dogs. Keep doing that.' So I know that's what he would want.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
K9 Hurricane, the most decorated dog in US history, has died
(WPHL) – An American hero has died. K9 Hurricane, a 16-year-old Belgian Malinois who was the most decorated dog in U.S. history, has passed away. 'As much as we knew this time was coming there was no way to prepare. We miss him so much. A huge hole that can never be replaced,' his handler, Marshall Mirarchi, said Monday. A former Special Operations Canine with the U.S. Secret Service, K9 Hurricane became the nation's most decorated dog for taking down a White House intruder in 2014 when President Barack Obama and his family were inside. Following his heroic act, Hurricane was medically retired in 2016 due to the injuries he sustained during the incident. In recognition of his valor, Hurricane received numerous honors, including the United States Secret Service Award for Merit, the Department of Homeland Security Award for Valor, the PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) Order of Merit, and the American Medical Center Top Dog. He also made history as the first dog to receive the Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal, which earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. K9 Hurricane's Heroes aims to gain support for retired law enforcement and military dogs Hurricane and Mirarchi were also awarded the Secretary's Award for Valor by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson for their efforts in protecting the Obama family. After his retirement, Hurricane's legacy lived on through the foundation Hurricane's Heroes, established in his name to help cover medical expenses for retired working dogs. Since 2020, Hurricane's Heroes has cared for over 150 retired military and government working dogs. From K9 Dog to American Hero; how Hurricane became the most awarded dog in U.S. history Before his passing, Hurricane was honored on Feb. 11 by Southwest Airlines, which flew Hurricane back home to Washington, D.C., on its Freedom One plane. Hurricane was also reunited in the White House with his old USSS working team. They presented Hurricane with a plaque and an American Flag which flew at the USSS K9 Training Center. In honor of Hurricane's life, the non-profit Hurricane's Heroes will continue to raise funds to cover the medical expenses of retired K9 heroes. 'Our nonprofit which is Hurricane's legacy is more important to us now than ever before,' said Mirarchi. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
18-02-2025
- General
- The Hill
K9 Hurricane, the most decorated dog in US history, has died
(WPHL) – A four-legged American hero has died. K9 Hurricane, a 16-year-old Belgian Malinois who was the most decorated dog in U.S. history, has passed away. 'As much as we knew this time was coming there was no way to prepare. We miss him so much. A huge hole that can never be replaced,' his handler, Marshall Mirarchi, said Monday. A former Special Operations Canine with the U.S. Secret Service, K9 Hurricane became the nation's most decorated dog for taking down a White House intruder in 2014 when then-President Obama and his family were inside. Hurricane was medically retired in 2016 due to the injuries he sustained during the incident. In recognition of his valor, Hurricane received numerous honors, including the United States Secret Service Award for Merit, the Department of Homeland Security Award for Valor, the PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals) Order of Merit, and the American Medical Center Top Dog. He also made history as the first dog to receive the Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal, which earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Hurricane and Mirarchi were also awarded the Secretary's Award for Valor by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson for their efforts in protecting the Obama family. After his retirement, Hurricane's legacy lived on through the foundation Hurricane's Heroes, established in his name to help cover medical expenses for retired working dogs. Since 2020, Hurricane's Heroes has cared for over 150 retired military and government working dogs. From K9 Dog to American Hero; how Hurricane became the most awarded dog in U.S. history Before his passing, Hurricane was honored on Feb. 11 by Southwest Airlines, which flew him back home to Washington, D.C., on its Freedom One plane. Hurricane was also reunited in the White House with his old Secret Service working team. They presented Hurricane with a plaque and an American Flag which flew at the Secret Service K9 Training Center. In honor of Hurricane's life, the non-profit Hurricane's Heroes will continue to raise funds to cover the medical expenses of retired K9 heroes. 'Our nonprofit which is Hurricane's legacy is more important to us now than ever before,' said Mirarchi.
