Raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, Craig Grossi is a Marine Corps veteran, author and recipient of the Purple Heart. After getting out of the Marines in 2011, Grossi worked for the federal Defense Intelligence Agency, enrolled at Georgetown University and got a degree in international affairs.

Grossi is the author of “Craig & Fred: A Marine, a Stray Dog and How They Rescued Each Other,” an uplifting true story about the stray dog he met on an Afghan battlefield, and how they saved each other and traveled America together, and “Second Chances,” which details his experience working closely with prison inmates in Maine who raise and train puppies to become service dogs. Learn more about Craig’s story and his books in this article by Ray Routhier.

Grossi and his dog Fred appeared on the Today show and Rachael Ray, and in schools, bookstores, and military bases across America as they told the uplifting story of how Craig found Fred while serving in Afghanistan—and brought him home. During their travels, Craig was invited to speak at Maine State Prison. While there, he met a group of very special inmates, participants in a program run by the nonprofit America’s Vet Dogs.

Fred died of cancer at his and Grossi’s home on Nov. 22, 2023. He was 14. Grossi credits Fred with “saving” him by getting him to open up to others and ask for help. Read about Fred in this article by Ray Routhier.

When not writing or speaking, Grossi enjoys life in the great outdoors and devotes his time to advocating for issues close to his heart like prison reform, animal welfare and mental health awareness. He now lives in mid-coast Maine with his wife Nora and their dogs, Ruby and a recently rescued pup named Bingo.