Don Lemon Comforts Veteran Who Considered Suicide After George Santos Allegedly Stole His Dog’s Charity Funds

CNN’s Don Lemon offered supportive comment as he wrapped a segment with the veteran who accused Rep. George Santos (R-NY) of pocketing $3,000 of charity funds that were intended for his service dog.

Lemon interviewed U.S. Navy veteran Richard Osthoff, Thursday morning, who was accompanied by veteran advocate Michael Boll and the cremated remnants of his dog, Sapphire. Osthoff has been in the news lately as the man who asked Santos for help years ago to raise money so Sapphire could have a life-threatening tumor surgically removed.

Even though the pet charity met its fundraising goals, Santos, who was acting under a different name at the time, never forwarded the money to Osthoff, and Sapphire wound up dying from the tumor. The embattled congressman has denied the allegations against him, even as he remains under his fire over his numerous lies and falsifications about his life story.

When Osthoff joined Lemon to tell his story, he told Santos “go to Hell” as he spoke of how the media coverage has forced him to relive the emotional trauma of his dog’s death. When asked what he would tell Santos if given the chance, Osthoff said he considered suicide when Sapphire died.

Do you have a heart? Do you have a soul? He probably would lie about that. I mean, I don’t want you to ever hurt anybody like you hurt me again, George. And nobody else should ever have to go through that.

I almost killed myself when that dog died. That’s why I’m here. I don’t want him to be able to do this again.

Osthoff went on to recall Santos’ alleged theft “wrecked” his faith in humanity when he had to panhandle to have Sapphire euthanized and cremated. The interview closed out shortly after that, with Lemon begging Osthoff not to take his own life.

Lemon: Listen, it’s never — don’t take your life. I’m sure you know that. It’s a lot of people —

Osthoff: I was given another service dog three weeks after she died, and that was the best thing that happened in that whole four to six month period, having another dog to cuddle up with and cry and let my emotions out. When I have a dog in my life, I will not hurt myself, because that’s my pride and joy, the one thing I live for. I don’t want anyone else to be that dog’s daddy or mommy. That’s my heart.

Lemon: We’re glad that you’re here, and we hope you’re here for a long, long time.

Watch above via CNN.