Vietnam veteran died before stolen service dog was foung

Vet died hours before he was set to be reunited with stolen service dog

By: WESH
Posted: Nov 08, 2018

Vet died hours before he was set to be reunited with stolen service dog Kira the Pomeranian, left, suspect, right. (Photo: Osceola County Sheriff's Office)

Joseph was sadly never reunited with his beloved service dog, passing away hours prior to her recovery.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) - A veteran's stolen service dog has been recovered, hours after he passed away. Two women have been placed under arrest in Osceola County.

Authorities said detectives from Osceola County, Lake County and the Winter Garden Police Department identified Jennifer Gotschall and Monique Cosser on Wednesday.

Authorities said one of the woman got into an altercation with 67-year-old veteran Joseph Hanson last week in Kissimmee, while the other came up behind him and unleashed his dog, named Kira.
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Original story

Help find women who stolen Vietnam veteran's service dogs!

SAD UPDATE

Vietnam veteran dies before being reunited with stolen service dog; suspects arrested

update

Osceola sheriff: Cameras captured woman stealing veteran's service dog

Two women distract veteran, steal service dog in Osceola County

WESH 2
November 2, 2018

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A Vietnam veteran had his service dog stolen Sunday during an altercation with a woman, Osceola deputies said.

Deputies said the 67-year-old Joseph Hanson who has post-traumatic stress disorder was at Old Town in Kissimmee with his two Pomeranian service dogs.

Authorities said a woman got into an altercation with the veteran and another woman came behind them and unleashed one of the dogs, named Kira. 

Hanson told WESH 2 News a woman confronted him yelling and cursing.

"During that time, that's when the other lady, who I didn't even know was there, until I saw (surveillance) video, that's when she came up and grabbed the dog." Hanson said.
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Night to remember at Rock and Brews in Kissimmee

Rock and Brews Kissimmee Soft Opening

Combat PTSD Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 28, 2018

Last night was the soft opening of Rock and Brews new location in Kissimmee Florida. We got to taste some great food, and had a lot of fun in the kitchen. 

Sgt. Dave Matthews of Never Forgotten Memorials brought out a fabulous rum cake for the staff to celebrate with them.

Cycle Fever was out doing an interview too!

Sherrie LaBarre, of Team Red White and Blue talked about her service in the military and how she continues to serve in the veterans community as Outreach Director.

Ex-cop has to fight PTSD again, after therapist attacked

Woman says Kissimmee counselor, priest took advantage of her
WFTV
By: Len Kiese
Oct 5, 2018

The former law enforcement officer said she began seeing De Jesus as a patient last year for anxiety, depression, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. "I was there at one of the darkest points in my life, seeking help," she said.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A woman said she trusted an Osceola County therapist to help her through one of her darkest times. Instead, she said he took advantage of her.

"It is the most disgusting feeling and such a violation," she said. She is not being identified to protect her privacy.

The Kissimmee Police Department said more women have come forward with accusations against that mental health counselor and Episcopal priest, bringing the number of accusers now to three.

The suspect is already facing battery charges, but even with these two other accusers he's not facing any more charges so far.

Police said a Kissimmee woman won't press charges but will testify against the counselor when he heads to trial.

The other accuser said it happened in California, so it would be up to authorities there to bring charges.
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Eagle Paid Respects At Fallen Kissimmee Police Officers Funeral

Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel 
As police officers arrive to the First Baptist Church of Orlando for funeral services for Kissimmee Police officer Matthew Baxter, left, and Sgt. Sam Howard an adult bald eagle takes flight from a cross towering over the church. The nations symbol perched atop the cross for several minutes before taking flight.
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Cannon fire in Kissimmee

Museum of Military History

Military Appreciation Weekend

This tent was made out of ponchos snapped together

December 7 and 8 from 9am to 5pm

Brown's Farm 4901 Oren Brown Road, Kissimmee Florida

Great day for a celebration like this but it was just too hot to stay. Can't get use to being able to get a sunburn in December.

If you are in the area the Civil War Battle reenactment will be on Sunday.

Community steps up for Marine's family in Kissimmee

Local Marine gets keys to mortgage-free home in Kissimmee
WFTV News 9
October 27, 2013

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A local Marine and his family received a mortgage-free home in Kissimmee on Saturday.

USMC Cpl. Jeremy Kelley served in Iraq from 2005 to 2007 and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. During his service, Kelley received numerous medals of honor.

Kelley, his wife and two children were given the keys to the newly-renovated home on Maguire Drive in Kissimmee during an event Saturday morning. Several local officials were in attendance for the home-revealing ceremony.
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Florida woman dies after driving into pond

Body pulled from submerged car in Kissimmee
2 dived in to help
UPDATED 6:02 PM EDT Apr 01, 2013
KISSIMMEE, Fla. —A body was pulled from the water after a car became submerged in Kissimmee on Monday afternoon.
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This is a developing story. I just watched one of the good Samaritans interviewed.

Two men saw the woman in the middle of the street and called 911. They watched her drive the car into the water then rushed to help her. Her body was recovered at 4:20.

Veteran reunited with dog tag 45 years later with Nam Knights

Veteran reunited with dog tag 45 years later
Man gets back piece of history
By Jon Busdeker
Orlando Sentinel
January 12, 2013

More than 45 years ago, Jim Alderman left behind a dog tag in Vietnam.

That 1-by-2-inch tin tag stamped with Alderman's name, service number, service branch, religious affiliation and blood type made it back to the former U.S. Marine Saturday at a ceremony in east Orange County.

Standing in front of a group of fellow veterans at the Nam Knights motorcycle clubhouse in Bithlo, an emotional Alderman accepted the tag, taking back something he thought was lost to history.

"I'll remember this day till the day I die," said 64-year-old Alderman of Kissimmee, while his wife Pat and son Jon looked on.

In 1967, Alderman was 18 when he arrived in Vietnam as a member of the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Charlie Company. Five months into his tour of duty, enemy fire struck Alderman near his wrist and chest. While medics tended to his wounds, Alderman's boots — where he stored his dog tag — were removed and placed in a pile near a dozen dead soldiers.
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Jessica Lynch's Rescue Soldier Accused of Sex Assault

Jessica Lynch's Rescue Soldier Accused of Sex Assault
By COLLEEN CURRY
Oct. 14, 2011
A male nurse who helped rescue soldier Jessica Lynch from Iraq in 2003 was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual battery against hospital patients in Florida.

Shean Galvin, 49, a former Air Force Reserves captain, was the flight nurse and medical director on the evacuation flight of Lynch, who was captured by Iraqi soldiers in March 2003. He appeared with fellow soldiers on ABC's Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson shortly after the evacuation, telling them how the rescue mission went.

On Oct. 12, Galvin was arrested following investigations into his conduct at Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, Fla., where he was a nurse. Galvin allegedly assaulted two female patients he was treating.
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Vietnam Vet Leroy Sprouse died alone, buried with love

Program Provides Funeral For Vietnam Veteran

Authorities Unable To Locate Veteran's Family

POSTED: 2:48 pm EDT September 15, 2011

Leroy Sprouse

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Most of the mourners at a memorial service for a Vietnam veteran Thursday never got the chance to meet him.

"We tried desperately to find family, a relative, even a cousin -- anyone who would say that they knew him," Conrad and Thompson Funeral Home representative Teresa Beverly said. "There was no one."

The man in the casket was Leroy Sprouse, 62, a Marine who served in Vietnam and worked as a custodian at Walt Disney World.

Sprouse lived at a Kissimmee RV park and died of natural causes three weeks ago.
When park managers tried to notify next of kin, they came up empty.

"He had no past, you know," Orange Grove Campground representative Amy Allusi said. "We can't connect him to anybody."

The park learned of the Silent Heroes Burial Program offered by a local funeral home and several veterans' groups. They arranged for a memorial service and a motorcade to Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
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2 firefighters hurt when Kissimmee condos burn

2 firefighters hurt when Kissimmee condos burn
Third floor at Villa del Sol collapses from the flames

By Jeannette Rivera-Lyles

Sentinel Staff Writer

12:22 a.m. EDT, October 26, 2009


Two firefighters were hurt when a Kissimmee condominium building burned Sunday night, and dozens of people were left homeless as a result of the blaze.

Several units of the Kissimmee Fire Department responded around 9 p.m. to a fire at the Villa del Sol Condominiums, said Megan Shephard, a fire department spokeswoman. The blaze was in a three-story, 24-unit building at 4103 Tropical Isle Blvd.
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2 firefighters hurt when Kissimmee condos burn

Kissimmee weclomes Quilt Of Tears April 19

They are called the "Quilt of Tears" for the many tears that have been shed by & for these victims.

Both living and dead, they have been forgotten by our government and this is our way to give them the honor and respect they so richly deserve. The Quilts have a life of their own and speak for themselves, adorned with victim's pictures, their service information, their Agent Orange health status, etc, etc. Love, pain and sorrow can be seen in each block. One veteran stated that "The "Quilts of Tears" was the most moving piece of art he had seen since the WALL in Washington, D.C.

See The Quilt Of Tears in KissimmeeApril 19th & 20th, 2008

America’s Best Value Inn Hotel Maingate will be hosting the Quilt of Tears in the hotel’s conference room Saturday April 19th from 10am to 10 pm and on Sunday April 20th from 10am to 6pm. Address is 7514 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway (US 192), Kissimmee, FL.

Military rate for normal rooms will be $34.95 plus tax and resort fee
Visit the Quilt Of Tears Website