VESTAL, NY — A Purple Heart recipient and nationally renown motivational speaker from New York has written an inspiring and honest children’s book about his late service dog, Amos, as a way to teach young children about the power of HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist).
Sgt. Rick Yarosh, of Vestal, released A Bridge Named Amos during Veterans Day week. Told from Amos’ perspective, the heartwarming book follows Amos’ true story — from waiting for a hero to becoming one for thousands of people, especially Yarosh. Amos was a lovable black Lab that was born on Dec. 25. Sadly, he died in October, just as A Bridge Named Amos went to press.
Amos and Yarosh, a Windsor (NY) native who sustained life-changing injuries while serving in Iraq, traveled nearly 100,000 miles and logged more than 1,000 hours on the road together with Sweethearts & Heroes, a student empowerment and empathy activation organization. During powerful presentations at hundreds of schools, they inspired students and adults to overcome challenges, celebrate differences and embrace empathy. Amos built a bridge to Yarosh for thousands of students — and vice versa.
“Everyone that met Amos loved him,” Yarosh says. “I will always remember when we were at schools, and we met a child that was afraid of dogs. I would tell them that Amos was the perfect dog to help with that fear. He was the gentlest dog I’ve ever known. He was like my child. I was never lonely when Amos was there.”
Yarosh is a husband, father of two and retired U.S. Army sergeant. He’s also the expert on HOPE for Sweethearts & Heroes, directed by Tom Murphy, of St. Albans, VT. For more than 16 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has made presentations to more than 2 million students from New England to Hawaii. For much of Amos’ amazing life, he was a vital part of the program.
Yarosh was deployed to Iraq in December 2005. On Sept. 1, 2006, he was severely burned by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Abu Ghraib. For half a year, he recovered at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, fighting through 2nd and 3rd degree burns on more than 60 percent of his body. His right leg was amputated below the knee. He also lost both ears, his nose, multiple fingers, and most of the function in his hands. He says the only reason he would change that fateful moment is if he could bring back his brothers in arms that he lost in combat: Sgt. Luis Montes and SFC Anthony Venetz.
