. ♪ >>> the emotional connection between marine major thomas schuman and his former afghan interpreterwerful. schuman helped him, step by step, as he was fleeing chaos nearly a year ago. now they are fighting another battle as they remain always faithful. here's abc's george stephanopoulos. >> reporter: theirs is a brotherhood born out of service and sacrifice. for marine corps major thomas schuman and his former interpreter, their months'-long stint in afghanistan more than a decade ago forged a bond deeper than blood. >> did you ever think you'd see zac again? i hoped i would. most interpreters it was transactional. it became immediately evident zac was different. he was committed. >> my trust, my team, they trust me. and we didn't think we are, like, different people. we think, like, same. same marines. >> reporter: over the years that bond remained unbroken. even as disaster struck zac's home country. >> the taliban in control of kabul, sweeping and shift -- >> thousands of afghans nowg im chaos -- killed t >> reporter: halfway across the world at his home in rhode island -- >> i d