Soldier overseas begs for rescue of beloved puppy: 'A piece of my heart'

An overseas soldier has a new mission at hand.

Sgt. Nico, currently deployed, aims to rescue a dog in peril and bring it safely to the U.S.

Nico, who kept his last name private, described the most challenging aspect of deployment as being the part where he had to serve.

The soldier discovered a weak puppy named Mia near his base.

"Based on what is available for her, it's unclear how she's managing to survive," he remarked.

"He said, "I gave her some food and water, but she was extremely frightened.""

The soldier said a prayer for the puppy that she would improve overnight.

The following morning, Nico was notified by a team member that a dog was outside the gate whimpering.

He stated, "When I went to investigate, it was Mia."

"Her tail began to wag and she emitted small yelps, which shattered my heart."

Nico added that it "broke the hearts of everyone else on the base."

"We couldn't ignore her, so we gave her food and water daily. She followed me like I was her father," he told Paws of War.

"I cannot imagine leaving her, knowing she will be left behind with no one."

Nico expressed gratitude that Mia found her way to him, as the soldiers suspected that her parents had been killed.

"She certainly found her way into my heart," he said.

Nico revealed that he communicates with his family in the U.S. through video calls daily and recently disclosed information about Mia to them.

"He said, "They were thrilled and requested a FaceTime call with her. After I did, they became smitten with her.""

He continued, "My son has long desired a dog, and our FaceTime chats have centered solely on Mia."

Nico couldn't get enough of Mia, just like his family couldn't.

"She became my shadow everywhere I went," he said.

"Together, we woke up and went to bed. She brought comfort and normalcy to a distant place, and it was what my team members needed on base."

Paws of War was contacted by Nico's family as they sought information about Mia's return home.

The mission of the organization is to transport the dog to the U.S.

Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that there is nothing more fulfilling than granting Sgt. Nico and his family their "one wish."

"He sure earned it," he said. "And leaving Mia behind would be a slow death sentence."

Nico stated that there is "nothing left for Mia" in his current deployment location.

"He stated, "When we depart, she will return to a life of uncertainty, lacking protection, food, water, friends, and shelter.""

Nico stated that Mia is an integral part of his soul and family, and he cannot fathom leaving her behind without anyone. He hopes the mission will be successful.

According to its website, Paws of War has assisted in the safe return of over 600 dogs and cats rescued by U.S. troops abroad.

The organization accepts donations at pawsofwar.org.