Horse Illustrated Magazine

David Carpenter, paratrooper for the United States Army, was injured severely by three IEDs (improvised explosive devices) while serving in Afghanistan in 2013. Back home, doctors were able to save one of his legs… at least at first. And Carpenter, who received a Purple Heart, bought a horse named Valentino. Carpenter’s remaining leg grew worse, however, and doctors had to amputate it, leaving the veteran with the difficult decision to give up his horse.

“I was in my wheelchair so much and I didn’t want him (Valentino) to sit. And I just didn’t think I’d be able to ride again and I kind of lost hope in being able to do that,” Carpenter told KSAT.

After a year had passed Carpenter still missed Valentino immensely, telling KSAT that that period “was a really dark and depressing time.” So the former paratrooper bought Valentino back. “When I went to pick him up, he recognized me right away. He knew my voice. He came over to the fence. He knows I’m not like a normal person and he treats me differently than anyone else. He’s never going anywhere without me ever again,” he told KSAT.

Watch the interview with Carpenter over on KSAT.com.

Liked this story? Click here to read another story about a member of the U.S. military who was reunited with her beloved pony when she returned home from overseas deployment.