Joe spent 16 years as a fireman and emergency medical technician. He has been honored for his 1 in risking his life on numerous occasions to save others. However, one emergency call 2 him to poisonous chemicals that later led to repeated strokes (中风). At only 38, the man who had grown 3 to having the physical strength and mobility to save lives was now 4 to tie his own shoes or button his own shirt. Worst of all，the strokes left him 5 seizures (痉挛) that would strike 6 .
Before his health 7 ， Joe was known for being active and optimistic. But after his strokes, he spent day and night in bed, dangerously 8 . One of his only 9 joys was Lucky, his 12yearold Dalmatian, but Joe's wife Kim 10 something terrible would happen to Joe when Lucky 11 . She didn't want to wait to find out, so she suggested a new dog should be 12 to the family.
Then entered Meatball. He was saved as a puppy from an Afghan war zone and brought to the United States for 13 by Puppy Rescue Mission. Joe and Kim went to the airport to meet Meatball upon his arrival. The moment Meatball came out of his cage, he peed (撒尿) all over Joe－and Joe 14 his first genuine laughter in months!
Two years later, one night, Kim was awakened by Meatball's 15 barking. She went to see what was wrong and found Joe having a 16 seizure. Joe was 17 to the hospital—Meatball had saved the day. And it wasn't the only time. "He's always there 18 me, helping me, making sure I'm okay，" says Joe. "Since I got sick, some of my friends have fallen by the wayside, 19 this beautiful dog always stays with me. That means I'm worth 20 after all. Pets are the emotional, physical, and spiritual gift we didn't know we needed."
