Service dogs, in Billy Dayoc's name.

James trains service dogs for veterans. One of those dogs is Lincoln — given to him by the Dayoc family in New Jersey, in memory of their son Billy, a twenty-eight-year-old Army medic who died by suicide. They wanted Billy's name to keep moving. They trusted James to carry it.

Around the same time, a Veterans in Focus episode produced by Michelle Hofmann — centered on James and Crowley — received a Lone Star Emmy. Days later, on the way home from Georgia to Hondo, Texas for Thanksgiving, parked about a hundred yards off I-10 outside Lake Charles checking a tire, a mobile home broke loose from a semi and destroyed his truck and RV. The damage carried into his body: surgeries on the neck, lower back, and shoulder.

An earlier run with Ozempic — aggressive weight loss — had already torn a bicep off the bone through tendon weakening. Two days after the crash, a charm made from Billy Dayoc's ashes, believed lost, was found back in the jeans James had been wearing. He doesn't explain it. He just says “God.”

He kept going. Addressed long-standing health issues tied to stress, injury, diabetes, and weight. After the earlier side effects and muscle loss, he changed direction — brought GLP-THREE into the routine alongside real changes in food and movement. Weight came down. Blood sugar stabilized. Diabetes improved. Strength rebuilt.

Today, James continues to train and gift service dogs, grounded in what he believes is God's work. If any of this hits something for you — the dogs, the story, the health piece, any of it — reach out. He'll respond.