Tom Kazo and Me: Love, Strength, Miracles

"I've done everything I've ever wanted to do in my life except die, and now I'm going to see what that's like." On an August afternoon in 1990, Tom Kazo spoke those words in his stunning call out of the blue to say goodbye to his friend Donna, who hadn't seen him in over seven years. As a decorated Green Beret and military policeman, he was receiving treatment in the nursing home of the Veteran's Administration hospital in Miami, Florida. They had met in 1977 at his dog training ranch, Hell On Paws, in Miramar, Florida. At that time, Tom Kazo was on top of the world, having achieved major success with his highly trained dogs, in particular a golden retriever named Intrepid Tom had trained to sniff out narcotics while the two of them were working for Dade County Public Safety Department. Trep and Tom had taken over $63,000,000 of illegal drugs from the bad guys before leaving the sheriff's department in 1976. They'd also found lost people, bombs and anything Tom could teach Trep to locate.Donna, beginning her career as an animal portraitist, had been invited to visit Hell On Paws in search of subjects and clients. She had no clue as to her impact on Tom when he first saw her. It was their mutual love of animals that became the basis of their warm friendship, even as Tom's life became more and more chaotic.Donna discovered Tom Kazo was a universe of contradictions. Not only was he the funniest man she'd ever known, at 6'5" and combat-trained, he was also the most dangerous. "I love to see someone turn around and watch the blood drain from their face when they see it's me," was one of Tom's favorite sayings. Yet in the next minute he might be playing with puppies or speaking with heartfelt kindness to a cashier or waitress.And now, calling from the bleakness of a nursing home, he told her he had been given three months to live.So she went down to visit him and learned that she was the only one from his old life who ever went back a second time. And he asked her to teach him to draw the animals he so loved and missed.And in doing so, she drew him back to life. Rescued him.And he, in turn, rescued her. He drew out her authentic self and showed her how strong she was.Love, strength, miracles. Read more