John Ready, USA Veteran & MEMPHIS

SGT John Ready is an Army Veteran and is so proud to be one. He is also a dedicated and loving father to his son, Trace. He proudly served in Iraq but returned home only to remain in “soldier” mode. He experiences debilitating antisocial behavior symptoms, has a very hard time coping with anxiety and being around crowds. He is hyper aware of his surroundings and wary of the people around him. When in crowds he shakes, cannot sit still, cannot enjoy himself or the company he is with, and starts to breathe faster. He also began having issues with workplace relationships. John is entirely capable of ensuring exceptional production output at his job, but he struggles with dealing with his employees interpersonally.

John was diagnosed with PTS, depression, and anxiety. His therapist recommended that he look into getting an Assistance Dog because he found that when he is around dogs his demeanor completely changes. He is more relaxed and happier when he is petting a dog.

John and MEMPHIS became a working team in 2015. MEMPHIS helps him when he is out in public by mitigating his anxiety. He alerts John when he becomes hyper-vigilant, watches his back to let John know when people are approaching from behind, and helps reduce John’s stress when he is at work. MEMPHIS also helps John with his other symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress in all areas of his life and with those whom he loves. With MEMPHIS, John has been able to become more involved in Trace’s life and take him to places out in the community.