WHITEHALL, Mich. — Whitehall native Buddy Raymond gets back from his second tour of duty with the U.S. Army on Saturday.
Waiting at home is a new best friend: Tank, a two-year-old pitbull.
Raymond’s girlfriend, Tori Swanson, found the dog at the pound in October.
” I was going to just look at puppies,” she says, “but he was just laying in the back of his kennel and I was like, ‘Ooh, I wanna see him!'”
Buddy sent money back from Afghanistan to pay for the pup.
He and Tank have already met – via Skype. Buddy’s first impression?
“He was really just amazed with (Tank’s) head,” Tori laughs. “He’s got a big head.”
Cranium size aside, Tori says it’ll be nice for Buddy to come home to man’s best friend.
“We’ve both always been dog people,” she says, “and him coming home and not having a dog, I think would have been harder for him, but now that we have a dog, I think he’ll be a lot happier.”
“Because if I’m not around to hang out with him, he’s gonna have Tank.”
Buddy’s home in just a few short days, which raises a potentially awkward question: Who’s more excited to see: his girl or his new dog?
“I’m not sure,” Tori laughs. “I know he’s excited to see Tank, but he might be a little more excited to see me, I hope.”
