Running with Rollie: A Simple Story About a Dog and a Soldier...The Rescuer and The Rescued

Rollie, a real-life Golden Retriever, inspired West Point graduate Jeffrey Bradley to write "Running with Rollie" based on their experiences together and Jeff's observations of Soldiers returning from war without family support. Jeff picked Rollie up at the animal shelter in Rolla, Missouri after returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and the pair started running together during his stateside stints in Missouri and Kansas. When Jeff deployed to Korea, Rollie patiently waited for his return. Once he did, the two best friends did everything together, from running to kayaking to hiking. Their twosome grew by one when Jeff married his wife, Emily. The three live in Southern New Hampshire where Rollie and Jeff can be found jogging or walking the trail network around their house. Even though both of their pace has slowed, they still go side-by-side.