When Derrick Stott was unexpectedly hospitalized, he didn't not know who would care for his service dog, Keller.

Thankfully, his counselor showed up in the right place at the right time and was able to help.

"I texted him and I didn't get a reply. I thought that was kind of odd because he's very meticulous about things. He's just really good about letting me know what's going on," said Michelle Hargis-Zuerlein, a mental health counselor with CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs in Nebraska.

Hargis-Zuerlein says she was coming to pick up Stott, her client, for a support group session when she realized something was wrong.

"I came upstairs to the inside door in the apartments and I can hear his dog, Keller, kind of crying," said Hargis-Zuerlein.

When she went inside, she found Stott on the floor. He had been lying there for seven hours.

"My medical bracelet had cut into my wrist... I'd been laying there so long," Stott said.

Stott was taken to the hospital, where he spent two weeks recovering from a flu-related fever. During that time, Hargis-Zuerlein took in Keller and cared for her with her husband.

She and the dog even made trips to the hospital when Stott started to improve.

"Having her there for that time, snuggling with her, to give her up was really hard," said Hargis-Zuerlein. "But I knew that Derrick loves her and she takes care of him and this is where she needed to be."

Keller is back home now with Stott but got to reunite with her temporary caretaker on Thursday.

Now, the relationship between the two humans is closer than ever, thanks to one very lovable dog.

"You know, she's kind of my girl. And I'm not married, so she's kind of my little honey. I don't know what I'd do without her," Stott said about his dog.

WAUKESHA, Wis. —

The Waukesha Christmas Parade returned to downtown Waukesha Sunday one year after a driver plowed through the same event killing six people and injuring dozens more.

The theme of this year's parade was Peace on Earth.

There were 80 groups marching in the parade, many of which are the same that were struck by tragedy including the Waukesha Blazers baseball club, the Dancing Grannies and Catholic Communities of Waukesha.

Several floats were decorated by Waukesha South High School band members and other students in honor of last year's victims.

Terry Rutledge has been a part of the Waukesha community for 45 years and was in the parade last year with the Salvation Army.

On Sunday, he drove a decorated plow.

Emotions were running high not only for the people who performed in the parade but also for those who attended.

"Last year after the parade we all came together, and it's just nice that even a year later, we're all still together, so it kind of solidified the whole community and kept us solidified for the whole year. The spirit never went away for Waukesha Strong," said Andrea Dorantes, who attended last year's parade.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were the last attraction in the parade.

The parade started at 4 p.m. along a new route and ended just before 5:30 p.m.

It began at Cutler Park, near Maple and Wisconsin avenues. It then went east along Main Street, south on Barstow Street and ended back at Cutler Park.

For some, it was an opportunity to heal.

"It's a very full circle moment being back. Immediately after the events of last year I started therapy so that way I could start healing right away so this is definitely the last step in my healing process," said Joe Eisenman, who attended last year's parade.

For others, like Eisenman's father, it was an opportunity to offer support.

"I just went through everything that he went through last year. We weren't here but we went through it when he was here," said Chris Eisenman.

The parade offered an opportunity for Waukesha to redefine its Christmas parade.

"Last year brought a lot of terror and a lot of confusion, but this year I honestly see nothing but happiness. That's definitely something that's different, but it's also definitely something that's amazing," said Joe Eisenman.

Parade attendees created good memories to overshadow the bad ones.

"We were here right in front of the Dancing Granny troop. So we saw a lot that day so it'll be good to see them back in the parade," said Dorantes.

Healing Hearts of Wisconsin was on hand at Sunday's parade. The organization provides support for grieving children and their families. They had a tent sent up at Cutler Park. The group also had personnel along the parade route to provide support to those struggling.

CINCINNATI —

Cincinnati is energized around the UC Bearcats as they count the days to the Cotton Bowl in Texas.

It's now just about nine days away.

On Tuesday, there was an incredible show of support for the football team with a drone show and fireworks at Nippert Stadium.

The excitement is also keeping businesses around campus booming.

Fans chanted, clapped and rooted for the football Bearcats during the show.

It was a phenomenal display in the sky that seemed to send a bit of a warning to Alabama: this team and its fans mean business.

"We have just been non-stop busy. Extended store hours. Tons of online orders," DuBois Book Store Operations Manager, Ty Bonawitz, said.

Counting down the days to the Cotton Bowl and fans are getting geared up for the Bearcats at DuBois Book Store.

Bonawitz said as soon as they put out new stuff, it's gone, and they have to restock again.

"The biggest problem we're having right now is the cotton shortage that we're dealing which is kind of ironic going to the Cotton Bowl," Bonawitz said.

Even the dogs are rooting on these cats — well, the book store owner's dog — who wanders around as shoppers pick their next piece of gear.

People said they're making a mad dash to get ready for Texas.

"Roll tide cool, but no, they ain't cool for us. We've got to beat them. We've got to beat them," fan, Jason Stewart, said.

Fans have a hearty appetite to see undefeated UC conquer in this historic appearance in the College Football Playoffs.

Over at Mio's, Rich Owens knows the team does, too.

They fed them on Monday.

"We had a whiteboard that we had every player on the team sign and then we're going to laminate it. We haven't titled it yet. We're hoping to put national champs on it," Owens said.

It's a moment in Bearcat history that will stick with the kids.

As the sun went down on Tuesday, there was a bit of an incognito pep rally to "Light Up Nippert Stadium."

There were fireworks and there was also a drone show with messages to root on the team.

"The programming that went into it and the messages up in the sky. They were really neat," fan, Kerri Todd, said.

Of course, there were also the signature UC chants to let Alabama know UC means business.

"I was excited. I was actually up there and he can vouch for me, I was jumping up and down. I was like, 'Oh my God, I can't wait,'" UC employee, Alex Coleman, said.

Fans said some people are driving to Texas and booking houses a couple of hours away so that they can still get close.

Even still, businesses believe turnout locally will be good.

According to officials, more than 150 synchronized drones were used in the show.

They also said a video shot at the event will be featured at some point during the Cotton Bowl.

Outside his home, Joshua Nola and his dog, Bud, love spending time together on their daily walks.

“No matter what, when I come home, he’s always happy," Nola said. "He’s always in a great mood. He always has a smile on his face."

It’s a bond he values deeply. Nola is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, who deployed to Afghanistan and when he returned home, felt something was off.

“I’ve dealt with depression with stuff, dealing with a little bit of survivor’s guilt,” he said. “I have friends that I knew in the Marine Corps, whether on their deployment or after coming home, who just aren’t here anymore. And it got to the point where I was tired of burying brothers.”

Those feelings are not unusual for veterans. The VA says more than 1.7 million veterans get treatment for mental health each year.

Enter the non-profit Pets For Patriots.

“Very simply, Pets For Patriots seeks to give veterans a new pet friend, while saving the most overlooked, undervalued shelter dogs and cats around the country,” said Beth Zimmerman, who founded the nonprofit.

Zimmerman said the organization works to help veterans heal emotionally while helping pets in need do the same.

“There were two different populations--veterans and shelter animals--that had different, but very complementary needs,” she said. “And if I could find a way to bring them together in a really intelligent way and an innovative way, that it would help both of them.”

In the 10 years since Pets For Patriots began, the program has paired together nearly 3,000 veterans with shelter pets around the country. They help not just with the adoption, but also with the pet’s lifelong care.

“We inspire veterans to adopt these animals by providing a range of benefits to make pet adoption affordable over the life of that pet,” Zimmerman said.

Yet, it amounts to more than that, said Nola.

“They’re constantly in contact. They’re asking how I’m doing, how [Bud’s] doing, " Nola said. 'If there’s anything they can do, help with anything, they’ve kind of become like a part of the family.”

Zimmerman said that’s part of the goal.

“Time and time again, you just see these stories where the veteran heals himself or herself by helping the pet overcome what he or she has been through,” she said. “And it's really pretty amazing.”

Back in New Jersey, Nola and Bud continue on their path to healing together.

“I wanted to save a dog, just as much as I kind of thought it would save me,” he said.

If you would like more information on Pets For Patriots, click here.

BROWN COUNTY, Ohio —

A Brown County man wanted the COVID-19 shot in February, but he wasn't eligible.

By the time he was, his wife said supplies were short.

Then by March, she said he had contracted COVID-19 and died.

Seven months later, his wife spoke with WLWT again about how the virus has changed her family and how she finds peace now.

It's been a tough time as Susan Rickett has dealt with her own loss and seen others sharing the same pain.

Out of it all, she has found support.

"Even though he's gone, he's still with me," Rickett said.

She finds many little reminders of her husband, Bob.

"I just look at the calendar and watch the day. I look for the fourth of the month, every month," Rickett said.

He was by her side for 46 years, until he died from COVID-19 on March 4.

Rickett said he wasn't able to get the COVID-19 vaccine when she could because he was a year younger.

When he was eligible, there weren't enough shots, according to Rickett.

"He's missed birthdays, anniversaries, everything that he would have looked forward to, which he did, he has missed and I am so sad about that," she said.

Seven months later, and the vaccine is still a tough conversation in her family just like many others.

"I have two grandchildren that have opted not to get the vaccine. That is a great concern of mine, even though they know what I went through, what their papaw went through. They've chosen, and that's a personal choice, I understand that, but I don't understand why people won't get the vaccine," Rickett said.

With more than 700,000 people dead in the U.S., she knows this is a shared pain.

But through the darkest days, she still finds peace on her porch knowing Bob isn't so far away.

"I asked him to give me a sign that he was listening to me and it was a very cloudy morning, that particular morning and the next thing I knew, the sun just opened up and shone down on me," Rickett said.

She said her family has stepped up for her and she hopes other families dealing with this loss are able to find support.

Rickett said she is around if they would like to talk.

She also said she was grateful to get the COVID-19 booster shot on Wednesday.

Rickett said she has a sore arm, but otherwise feels fine.

BEDFORD, Va. — Millions of people are scouring the internet every day, digging deep into genealogy and learning about the generations before them. One woman has found that behind every name lies an important story.

A cemetery might not be a place that comes to mind when thinking about healing.

But for Alicia Williams, that’s exactly what Bedford, Virginia’s Longwood Cemetery is. It’s her therapy.

“It’s just more of an underground community, I mean, who hangs out in cemeteries with dead people all day," Williams said.

She recently went through a tumultuous divorce and a battle for her children.

“I had not a soul in the world that made me feel like I was good enough to exist in the world," Williams said.

This place, filled with souls Williams can only feel, became her cleanse.

“Coming out here, it was like, this stone has 120 years of dirt on it and I made it clean, so why can’t I do the same thing for myself? For my soul?” Williams said.

For almost a year, she’s been cleaning gravestones to conserve what’s there and bring these stories back to life.

“Once I get their name out and see their dates, then I can start to research them and investigative them and some of them sadly, there is not much to find out," Williams said. “Which to me makes it even more important to clean that marker because, in a lot of instances, it’s the only record that that person existed at all.”

For many, there is much more to discover. It’s why the genealogy trend is picking up. For example, Ancestry had 15 million people in its DNA network in 2019, and in just two years, that number grew to over 20 million.

Joshua Taylor, the president of the New York Genealogical and Biological Society says the accessibility factor of records and information has changed the way people approach it.

“Those are individual stories, and they are also a collective community story," Taylor said. “Getting started is easier than ever before because you can access records at home, online, in 10 minutes that could take you ten months to find.”

It’s also why eyes are glued on Williams' work.

“We are in many ways, the current generation is the most documented generation ever. In photographs, in audio or video," Taylor said.

“We live in a time where people are very passionate about restoring the historical narrative and giving a voice to people that didn’t have a voice.”

Her cleaning methods and efforts to conserve have gone viral on TikTok.

“For the most part, the thing that surprises me and still to this day, it’s been nine months now, it’s been overwhelmingly positive," Williams said.

After cleaning, she researches and discovers stories buried beneath these graves. Decades later, Williams is resurfacing this history and trying to keep their legacies alive.

“If we don’t tell as many individual stories as possible, we’re never going to get an accurate picture," Williams said. “I feel like it’s giving me the courage to slowly start to tell more of my story.”

SHELBYVILLE, Ken. — The nationwide eviction moratorium expired at the end of July and leaders at the Veterans Administration are concerned it will lead to a large increase in homeless veterans. One Kentucky program is working to house veterans before the moratorium ends.

Nearly 40,000 veterans experienced homelessness on any given night in 2020, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Paul Elliott was one of them.

“Living out of your van, or whatever, you just get tired of it," Elliott said. “There is a saying when you go into service is they try to 'break the civilian out of you' and once that civilian is gone, you never go back.”

For Elliott, and many like him, homelessness wasn’t a choice, but it is a common outcome.

“Even when you sleep, you’re not sleeping. This is where PTSD comes in, where you’re always wired," Elliott said.

As Elliott experienced, nothing feels safe. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 11 to 20 out of every 100 veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD in any given year.

Jeremy Harrell knows that feeling too. It’s why he started the Veterans Club in Shelbyville, Kentucky, to help people just like Elliott.

“It’s emotional for me because I’ve been in those same positions that everyone that we help have. I struggle with PTSD myself," Harrell said. “It’s not enough just to say, 'hey we want to get vets off the street.' But I remember how I felt when I felt like I had no one. And I don’t want that ever to be the case that we’re around.”

Through partnerships, the club recently started its Veterans Village, a community of tiny homes for veterans in need.

“The homes are foundational. What that does is it tears down any barriers you have about where am I going to sleep and what am I going to eat. So we get rid of that for you," Harrell said.

Elliott says his life has been a revolving door, until a few weeks ago

“I had a hard time readjusting to civilian world and at this time I still do. I find being here at the Veterans Club, I think being around other veterans and this community that’s going to be a brotherhood and a family, I think this is going to help me get established and have a home," Elliot said.

“Create that same bond that we had while we were in service and that’s not replicable in the civilian world really and so that’s a powerful tool that we have," Harrell said.

That’s just the beginning.

“Then we have case managers who kind of sit down with them, clinicians who sit down with them and kind talk about hey these are the challenges you have but what are your goals? We come up with a 3, 6, 9, 12-month plan.”

They pay extremely close attention to every detail.

“Then we start working on financial literacy, we start working on employment, we start working on supportive services, we start working on education, we do training, we just want to fill the toolbox," Harrell said.

For Elliott, it’s been years since he’s had a place to call his own. With those worries lifted, and a comfortable support system he’s working on his next step.

“I want to go back to work. I’ve injured myself. I’ve been dealing with injuries," Elliott said.

Harrell gets calls about veterans who could benefit from their services across the country. The reality is, there aren’t many programs like this out there.

“It’s hard work in a way that it could work for a year and then in a day it could all go south," Harrell said. “When you’re dealing with recovery of any kind whether it be mental health, whether it be substance abuse, you can put a lot of effort in and not produce any fruit.”

Delaware, Connecticut, and Virginia are the only states that have virtually eradicated veteran homelessness, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. But until that’s the case nationwide, Harrell and his team won’t stop helping veterans like Elliott.

“If it was up to me, I’d be in trouble again. I’d be on my own somewhere trying to deal with something on my own and you can’t do it on your own," Elliott said.

The hard work of helping yourself and others is what fuels the Veterans Club.

“Oftentimes, it’s looked at as a person may be lazy or they don’t want to work but oftentimes that’s not the case at all," Harrell said. “We can’t get so comfortable and so arrogant that we think for a minute that that can’t be us. And how would you want to be treated if it was you? And if we just start asking ourselves that throughout daily life in general I think our country would be in a lot better state than it is now.”