performed veterinarian regenerative therapy to provide stem cell therapy to improve lex's mobility. the surgery was successful and lex should have full mobility in six weeks. >> in the years i've been practicing medicine this is the biggest, most emotional cases i've worked on. >> reporter: following surgery we caught up with lex and the family at the lee iowa jima memorial where they took pictures to update the marine corps and how he's doing. lex received purple heart to be wounded the day he and dustin were fired upon. the lee family have a special bond with lex. they care deeply for him, knowing he was so special to their son dustin. they also take lex to schools and veteran hospitals for visits. >> our son was important just like everybody else that has fallen. but what people do not know is the importance of the military working dog. you know, they're in military working dogs out there ready to be adopted.