Hawkeye's Best Friend
The photos below yanked at the heart-strings of millions of Americans in August 2011, as images of a grieving labrador retriever graced the pages of newspapers across the country. At the funeral of Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson, attendees could see his faithful companion Hawkeye lying by the casket. In front of 1,500 mourners at the beginning of the service, Hawkeye ambled up to the front of the room and laid down next to his master, showing his loyalty until the end.
Nikki Virgilio, a friend of Mr Tumilson - known as J.T. - was at the funeral last week and said Hawkeye was a personal pet rather than a military dog. 'I can happily report to you that Hawkeye was willed to one of J.T.'s good friends, the same one that took care of him whenever J.T. was deployed overseas,' she wrote on Facebook. 'J.T. was going to be a Navy SEAL come hell or high water,' Mr Nichols said. 'J.T. was not afraid to die. He was afraid of losing his parents.'
Concerned members of the public who have seen the heart-wrenching photos will be pleased to hear that there is a happy ending for Hawkeye. He will be staying with Scott Nichols, who had previously looked after him while J.T. was away on duty overseas. Family members had followed Hawkeye into the funeral.
