Motivational Speaker and His Service Dog

Battle Buddy, "Nellie"

As a disabled veteran who has dealt with 20 years of chronic pain, 9 surgeries, near suicide, years of depression, and significant memory loss, Zack has been through his fair share of "medical solutions." Therapy, medications, adrenaline seeking adventures, medications, alternative therapy, and more medications. He finally found the one thing that works for him. Her name is Nellie.

While service dogs provides many benefits, (pain management, medication reminders, physical task assistance, emotional support and memory assistance), they are not just a tool. They are partners. Having Nellie has forever changed Zack's life. As his partner in life and his adventure side-kick, Nellie goes where he goes, and speaking is no different. In the two short years they have been together, she has already touched her paws down in 21 states and would have a decent frequent flier account if airlines allowed four-legged travelers such perks. She has also racked up over 9K miles on road trips and over 1K miles on a motorcycle. This girl will truly go anywhere he goes.

Zack's passion for helping veterans, first responders and athletes transition to life after the uniform is fueled by his own failures and years of trauma. His mission is to guide these men and women through a healthy transition so they can truly thrive in the next chapter of life.

"By identifying and intercepting issues before they become wild fires, together we can lower the suicide rate and prevent permanent life injuries like the ones I deal with on a daily basis." - Zack Starr

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q) Will it cost more for our organization to bring you AND Nellie to our event?

A) No. Nellie goes with me no matter what, even if she is not on stage. Airlines and hotels can NOT charge extra for service dogs, so there is no added expense for travel.

Q) Does Nellie require anything from us if we book you for an event?

A) No. We are a self sufficient team. She does love green M&M's, but they aren't good for her.

Q) Is Nellie allowed in hotels and restaurants?

A) Yes. The (ADA) rules governing service dogs allow the dog to go with the owner regardless of establishment rules.

Q) Can our attendees pet Nellie after your keynote?

A) No. Nellie is trained to be hyper focused on me while she is "on duty." While she never really goes "off duty," her vest tells her that she does not have to worry about being touched or interfered with by other people, dogs etc. Of course, she is fluffy and cute as heck, and LOVES people and attention, but engaging with her while "on duty" will only distract her.

Q) Where does Nellie go during your keynote?

A) Typically she will stay stage-side and wait for me to be finished. As we craft her part of the keynote, she will join me on stage for a few minutes before returning to her "spot" off-stage. In some instances that don't allow for this, she will remain in my hotel room. Unlike seizer or stroke service dogs, Nellie's tasks are not necessary 24/7 and therefore allow us to be separated for short periods of time.

Q) Can our attendees take pictures with you and Nellie after the event?

A) Absolutely. As you can tell from the pics below, this girls loves being in the spot light.