INDIANAPOLIS -- TSA K-9 Howard spends the day sniffing for explosives at the Indianapolis International Airport, but his name has an even bigger meaning than his job.
The 10-year-old K-9 who joined the TSA in 2011 is named after New York City Port Authority Police Officer George Howard.
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George died trying to save lives at ground zero, on September 11, 2001.
“I will carry this, it is a police shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others.”
“I get to help carry on the legacy of an American hero.”
This past summer, K-9 Howard and his handler, Wendell Hart, went got to meet George's son - who is now a New York City Firefighter – and spend time at ground zero.
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“To see him there and have Chris Howard there, and I was there, it was very emotional,” said Hart. “Other than just being a cute dog, other than having a job and trying to keep the country safe – he’s carrying on a legacy.”
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