ABOUT

FROM FALLEN TO REDEEMED.

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Fallen K9 was started in late 2023 with an idea that challenges modern dog training today. Matthew Hampton, the founder and lead handler grew up in a Christian home and that home was shattered by the divorce of his parents. Being lost, feeling alone, and looking for a sense of purpose he joined the Navy. In the Navy he served as a Master-at-Arms. Matt’s first duty station was in Silverdale, Washington where he met his now wife Ciara Hampton. Soon, Matt and Ciara received orders to Norfolk, Virginia, where he was stationed on the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier, something was still missing. Everywhere he turned, the doors to a fruitful career kept getting closed in his face. The higher purpose at the Navy he thought would be fulfilling was instead suffocating. He turned to drinking to cope with the pressures of serving. The Yoke was becoming too heavy to bear. Finally there was a breaking point. Matt came to the end of himself. After four years of serving the "higher" purpose, and seeing the hopelessness of the sailor to his left and to his right.  His relationship with Ciara began crumbling, and he began reading Scripture. He read the book of Acts on an app he downloaded on his phone and he read it while he was on post. Something that you can get in a lot of trouble for. He had so many questions, questions he had to find for himself.  Who is Saul? Was he really bitten by a poisonous snake? Who is Paul, and what higher purpose was he serving? What made Paul so fearless? There was only one way to find the answers and that was not on Youtube or Instagram. Matt tore through the New Testament for the next few months and then found a book called 2 Chairs by Bob Beaudine in the top drawer of a desk at work and began reading it in between standing his posts. It was like God was sitting in the chair next to Matt, making him tangible and not some distant sky fairy. After all the long days and nights of studying, reading, and prayer, Matt chose to Serve a Higher Purpose. He chose to serve a Just, Righteous, Merciful King of Kings. Shortly after giving his life to Christ and serving His Higher Purpose he took his Bible everywhere with him, studying it every spare minute he had, and sharing it with others. Matt found that this yoke was lighter to bear. Matt separated from the Navy with an honorable discharge. Matt then attended American K9 Interdiction, a K9 handler school based out of Virginia. The door to the career Matt wanted when he was in the Navy was opened and no one could shut it, because the Higher Purpose Matt was serving had opened it. Matt selected his K9 partner there, the partner he and Ciara was praying for. Matt named his new partner Samson after his favorite Judge in the bible. It was fitting, Samson is a 85 pound Belgian Malinois with stoic posture, and a growl that will shake you to your core. Matt and his new teammate graduated and began working right away contracting for multiple companies up and down the East Coast. Working all sorts of venues and environments, from professional sports in Philadelphia, to searching schools in Virginia, and contracting in Washington DC, Matt and Samson were on an adventure. Matt began looking for more consistent work as a K9 Handler and found that there was a job opportunity in Williamstown, Kentucky. Working as a K9 handler at the Ark encounter. Matt and Ciara prayed and then Matt applied for the position. After multiple interviews and even traveling out to Kentucky for a physical fitness test and firearms qualification, before Matt got home from his trip to Kentucky he was offered the position. Friends and family from church helped them pack and prayed a blessing over them and they were off to Kentucky, another door was opened that could not be shut. At least that’s what Matt and Ciara thought. After being a K9 Handler at the Ark Encounter for less than a year, Matt once again found himself suffocating. Instead of going to alcohol to cope like he had in the past he went to the King, his Lord, and Master. Events had unfolded leading to Matt’s resignation from the Ark Encounter. Something was different this time compared to the events he experienced in the past. Matt knew God had it all under control and that there was a bigger plan, a Higher Purpose. Shortly after His resignation from the Ark Matt had an idea, a desire. From that desire Fallen K9 was created. A dog training and explosives detection company that sought to show dog owners how to train their dogs and tell them about the Gospel and how it relates to dogs. Dogs are not part of evolution but part of creation, part of God's creation. Using his experience Matt seeks to provide explosive detection services to churches and Torah observant groups because this world has fallen and evil is lurking in the shadows. Recently there has been a spike in bomb threats and shootings in churches and it's only a matter of time before there is an all out attack on God’s people and His house. Matt offers another service, a service that he will never charge anyone for. That service is a K9 Demo, in the K9 demo Matt and Samson both put on a display of jaw dropping obedience and odor detection. Why is this free? This is free because along with all the demonstrations Matt weaves in the Gospel, and evidence for creation. The Gospel was given free as a gift from God and Matt has realized he will never have the authority to put a price on the Gospel. Earlier this year, Matthew and his bride grew deeper knowledge of the Scriptures and are now both Torah observant Christians that celebrate God's feasts and His Sabbath.