Xenia , Ohio ( CNN ) -- Karen Shirk has spent 15 years matching people with service dogs that can help them with their special needs and disabilities . With the help of her staff , she puts a lot of thought into the process to make sure each person has the right dog for them . But one recent story -- involving an Afghanistan war veteran and a German shepherd named Gabriel -- has her convinced that larger forces are sometimes at work . It began in March , when Shirk got an e-mail from U.S. Army Sgt . Derek McConnell . McConnell had lost both his legs in an IED explosion , and he was desperate for a service dog while he recovered at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington . Shirk knew Gabriel , a dog they were training at the time , would be perfect for him . `` I sent him a picture of Gabriel and said , 'How would you like this dog ? ' `` Shirk said . `` He was so excited . ... He would text me every day . '' She understood that McConnell was eager for the companionship of a service dog and the independence that it could provide . `` Soldiers , they 're not wanting people to do things for them , '' said Shirk , who was honored as a CNN Hero for her work with autistic and special-needs children . `` If you have to ask ( someone ) all the time to pick things up that you drop or 'Bring me my wheelchair , ' they have to depend on somebody else . ... Giving them a service dog is giving them back a means of doing it themselves . '' Shirk and McConnell grew to be friends , and she was struck by his generosity . Although Shirk was going to give him his dog for free , she asks civilians to contribute to help offset their dog 's training costs . So McConnell had started planning ways to help raise money . Then , one day , Shirk did n't hear from him . `` I went to his Facebook page , and this first post that I saw said , 'You were the most wonderful young man , ' `` she said . `` And I 'm like , `` Were ? ' `` Shirk was devastated to learn that McConnell had passed away from complications related to his injuries the previous night . But she soon decided that the best way she could honor him was to place Gabriel with another disabled soldier . She reached out to someone she knew in the military and asked for help . `` I said , 'Find me another Derek ! ' '' she recalled . Within days , Lisa Murphy heard about the dog at the Yellow Ribbon Fund , a Maryland-based charity that helps injured service members recover . `` Someone basically made her aware that this group was looking for a soldier amputee to connect with a service dog , '' said Lisa 's husband , U.S. Army Capt . Jake Murphy . `` I was looking for a dog myself , so Lisa kind of jumped on it . '' Murphy , like McConnell , had lost both his legs in Afghanistan . But Shirk soon discovered that they had much more in common . She found out they had served in the same unit and been injured on the same day . In fact , McConnell had actually helped with Murphy 's medical evacuation , just hours before suffering his own injuries . Both had also recovered at Walter Reed and become friendly during therapy together . Shirk was floored by the coincidence , as she had gotten in touch with both men through completely separate channels . `` It 's like a once-in-a-lifetime story that you hear , '' she said . `` I just think it was meant to be . '' Murphy recognizes that it 's an unusual coincidence , but he does n't think of it in quite the same way . `` If it was fate , then Derek was meant to die , so I do n't really like to think of that , '' he said . `` But if Derek ca n't be here , it 's almost fitting that I get Gabriel as my service dog . `` There 's a connection between him and myself . ... Derek will always be in my thoughts . '' Shirk said the episode has renewed her desire to work with veterans . `` Derek and Jake lost their independence , giving independence to others . ... Those veterans , that was who I wanted to help , '' she said . `` I 'm hoping more of these wounded soldiers will come to us looking for dogs . `` We are ready . They can all come , and we will help them . '' Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open for 2013 CNN Heroes .
Karen Shirk , a 2008 Shirk Heroes , finds service dogs for people in need . She had a dog ready for disabled war veteran Karen Shirk , but he died in 2008 . The dog ended up with another veteran , Jake Murphy . Unbeknownst to CNN , the two veterans knew each other and served together .