Quilt Recipients August 2019

Quilts were sent in August 2019 to the following first responders injured on duty.

Quilt Recipients August 2019

First Responder, Date, & Location	Quilt	Story
Trooper Josh Ware West Virginia State Police July 16, 2019 - Martinsburg, West Virginia		Trooper Josh Ware was flown to a Virginia hospital for treatment of nonlife-threatening injuries after he was struck by a communications cable downed by an oversize tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 near Martinsburg. Trooper Ware was clearing debris from the highway near the 13.5 mile marker when the incident occurred. He suffered injuries to his right arm, right leg, hands and head. Trooper Ware was struck while standing along the southbound lane of I-81 on the shoulder against the jersey wall. We send this quilt to provide comfort during his recovery.
EMT x2 Boston EMS July 10, 2019 - Boston, Massachusetts		Police responded to New Chardon Street, next to the Edward W. Brooke Courthouse, for an EMT in distress at 4 pm. The EMTs were transporting a psychiatric patient from East Boston to Massachusetts General Hospital when the female suspect became unruly and attacked, stabbing a female EMT. A second EMT, who was driving the ambulance, pulled over immediately and went to the back to assist his coworker. The suspect had a chemical spray, which she used on the second EMT. We send these quilts to let them know we care.
Deputy Nathan White Lake County Sheriff’s Department August 6, 2019 – Polson, Montana		Deputy Nathan White stopped around 6pm to help a motorist on US Hwy 93 near Ronan when he noticed the vehicle had broken down on the side of the highway. While assisting the motorist, the vehicle's carburetor backfired, spraying gasoline and fire towards Deputy White, causing second and third degree burns on his face and hands. Deputy White was flown to a Seattle hospital for treatment and has been released to recover at home. Deputy White has a long road ahead and we hope this quilt will provide some comfort during this time.
Officer Nicholas Romero Milwaukee Police Department July 30, 2019 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin		Around 10:30 pm officers saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road near North 15th Street and West Capitol Drive that matched the description of a vehicle sought in connection with a robbery. Officers approached the vehicle, but the driver fled. They pursued the vehicle and it collided with another vehicle, which then hit a parked car and some boys on the sidewalk. After that crash, Officer Romero got out of his squad car to arrest the fleeing driver and was hit by another responding squad car suffering two broken legs. We delivered this quilt to his department and hope it helps comfort Officer Romero while he recovers.
Officer Brandon Mitchell Henderson Police Department July 11, 2019 - Henderson, North Carolina		Officer Brandon Mitchell was at scene of a shots fired call investigating a person with a gunshot around 9pm. Later during the investigation around midnight a car drove by and someone started shooting. Officer Mitchell was hit. We send this quilt to provide comfort during his recovery.
Deputy Tom Lee Hardin County Sheriff’s Office June 20, 2019 – Hardin County, Texas		Deputy Tom Lee and a mental health case worker responded around 11am to a call from a man’s family asking for assistance. When they arrived at the location on Highway 105 and Old Sour Lake Road, Deputy Lee tried to talk to the man, but he came out of the house and shot Deputy Lee with the arrow above his left eye. Deputy Lee was able to return fire, striking the man. The arrow did not penetrate Deputy Lee’s skull which is wonderful news. This quilt is being sent to him to let him know we care and provide comfort during his recovery.
Trooper Gregory Sawicki Connecticut State Police		June 16, 2019 – Fairfield, Connecticut Troop Gregory Sawicki was injured on I-95 in Fairfield while assisting a disabled vehicle in the early morning hours on I-95 Northbound near Exit 22. Trooper Sawicki was pulled over in the median with his emergency lights activated when a third car veered from the left lane and struck Trooper Sawicki's police cruiser, which caused his car to be pushed into the disabled vehicle. The trooper had to be extricated from his car and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Trooper Sawicki suffered broken bones and fractures. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of MOVE OVER laws. Please remember to slow down and move over when you see 1st Responders and Highway workers. We hope this quilt will provide comfort while Trooper Sawicki recovers. “Finished quilt provided courtesy of Linda Daniels of Hutchinson, KS.”
Trooper Victor Rivera Florida Highway Patrol June 20, 2019 - Orlando, Florida		Trooper Victor Rivera was attempting to pull over a vehicle that was speeding on Colonial Drive. After activating his lights on his patrol vehicle the suspect vehicle started driving recklessly and then had to stop at a train crossing. The driver then tried to flee but when he saw the train had passed he tried to get back in his vehicle. Trooper Rivera tried to detain the driver during which the driver was partially back in the driver seat and his passenger started to drive the car away. Trooper Rivera was dragged about 100 feet. The suspects drove off but were arrested later. This situation could have turned out far worse so we are thankful to be sending this quilt to help this Trooper recover.
Deputy Paul Phillips Brevard County Sheriff’s Office June 4, 2019 - Melbourne, Florida		Around 8:30pm on Avenida De La Vista in Indialantic police were called when an argument between neighbors over feeding feral cats escalated. The argument got out of control when a man went and retrieved a rifle. When Deputy Paul Phillips arrived, the gunman was very upset. The gunman then went behind a vehicle and chambered the rifle and then came around the vehicle holding the rifle, where he and Deputy Phillips exchanged gunfire. In the aftermath, the gunman was deceased and Deputy Phillips sustained three gunshot wounds. We send this quilt to surround Officer Phillips with love and support during his recovery.
Trooper Jason Phillips Ohio State Police June 26, 2019 -Mount Gilead, Ohio		Trooper Jason Phillips was among three people hurt after a head-on crash in which both vehicles caught fire. It happened in the very early morning hours when Trooper Phillips was dispatched to find a possible impaired driver in the area of I-71 near milepost 155. That’s when his vehicle was struck by a wrong-way driver who was traveling south in the northbound lanes. Trooper Phillips was flown to OSU Medical Center in critical condition. It was later discovered the person that hit the Trooper was the impaired person he was dispatched out to find. We send this quilt to surround Trooper Phillips with love and support while he heals.
New Braunfels Police Department Officer July 3rd, 2019 - New Braunfels, Texas		Around 10pm, the New Braunfels Police Department was called to the 1300 block of Azalea Lane for a report that a 16-year old male that had been recently entered as a runaway was at that location. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to detain the male so he could be returned to his family. However, the teen resisted and began actively fighting the officer’s attempts to detain him. During that struggle, the officer’s leg and ankle was seriously injured and the subject was able to escape his grasp and flee the scene on foot. The subject was later detained and transported to the New Braunfels Police Department for juvenile processing. The officer was transported to Resolute Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. He has since been released from the hospital and is now resting at home with his family. We hope it provides comfort during to this officer during his recovery. This finished quilt was donated by Jeryl Hendricks of Hutchinson, Kansas. **Information courtesy of City of New Braunfels website.
Officer Edward Moore Inkster Police Department June 28, 2019-Inkster, Michigan		In route Code 3 to a child shot call, Officer Edward Moore was involved in a collision. We hope this quilt provides comfort during his healing. Read his thank you posted on our Facebook page August 29, 2019
Deputy Iverson Washington County Sheriff’s August 8, 2019-Gaston, Oregon		A call was received by police around 5:30 pm about a theft in progress. After about three hours of searching Deputies Braun and Iverson finally made contact with the suspect. Gunfire was then exchanged and all three were hit by gunfire and then taken to local hospitals. Deputy Braun was shot in the neck and Deputy Iverson in the shoulder. We are glad to hear both deputies survived. We send Deputy Braun this quilt to comfort him during his recovery.
Deputy Braun Washington County Sheriff’s August 8, 2019-Gaston, Oregon		A call was received by police around 5:30 pm about a theft in progress. After about three hours of searching Deputies Braun and Iverson finally made contact with the suspect. Gunfire was then exchanged and all three were hit by gunfire and then taken to local hospitals. Deputy Braun was shot in the neck and Deputy Iverson in the shoulder. We are glad to hear both deputies survived. We send Deputy Braun this quilt to comfort him during his recovery.
Olmsted County Sheriff’s Deputy July 16, 2019-Stewartville, Minnesota		A sheriff’s deputy was on patrol in the 400 block of Fifth Avenue Southeast in the early morning. The deputy had pulled over a vehicle with expired registration. When the deputy approached the vehicle and started to speak with the driver, he immediately started to disregard all orders given. The suspect then exited his vehicle and would not get back in and started to walk away. The deputy attempted to arrest the suspect but was unsuccessful and deployed a taser after repeated commands were disregarded. At this time, the suspect removed the probes and charged the deputy near the entrance to a residence. The suspect pushed the deputy through a doorway and down a set of stairs. The deputy landed face first on a concrete floor which resulted in multiple lacerations which required stitches. We send this quilt to provide comfort while this deputy heals.
California Highway Patrol August 12, 2019-Riverside, California		Officer Andre Moye pulled over a pickup in the area of Box Springs Boulevard and Eastridge/Eucalyptus Avenue, west of the 215 freeway. While he was filling out paperwork the driver pulled a rifle from the truck and began shooting. Officer Moye was fatally shot but was able to call for help. CHP Officers, Riverside Police, and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrived and the gunfire continued. After a lengthy battle the suspect was fatally shot. During this exchange two other CHP Officers were injured. We are sad to hear of the loss of the officer and send our love to his family. We hope these quilts will provide comfort to the other two officers injured.
Deputy Richard Griffee Kern County Sheriff's Office July 14, 2019-Bakersfield, California		Around 3:19 am in the 8000 block of Goesling Avenue, police responded to a call of a family member at a residence with a knife. When police arrived the suspect quickly charged toward the Deputy Richard Griffee, stabbing him with a knife. Deputy Griffee was taken to a hospital by ambulance with injuries. We send this quilt to provide him comfort during his recovery.
Trooper Christopher Wooten North Carolina Highway Patrol July 22, 2019 – Charlotte, North Carolina		Trooper Christopher Wooten was severely injured when attempting to stop a vehicle on his police motorcycle. The trooper instead collided with a second vehicle in an intersection. The first vehicle that Trooper Wooten was attempting to pull over kept going and did not remain at the scene. The driver of the vehicle who left the scene was caught days later. Update (July 26, 2019): Officials say Trooper Chris Wooten has suffered a “complete spinal cord injury at the top of the spine, which is resulting in paralysis from the neck down.” The Latest: Trooper Chris Wooten was transported to Shepherd Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, according to officials, where he will continue his treatment process. This is a terrible outcome to this incident and we send our very best to his wife and two daughters. We hope this quilt will surround Trooper Wooten with love and support in his journey ahead.
Cincinnati Police Department Officer June 6, 2019 – Westwood, Ohio		The incident happened around 8:45 pm at the Gamble-Nippert YMCA at 3159 Montana Avenue. Police had received a call about a man refusing to leave the gym and found the suspect behaving in a disorderly manner. They say they tried several times to get Nichols to leave the gym before attempting to arrest him, at which point Nichols resisted and violently assaulted the officers. The very large suspect pushed teenage girls off the basketball court because he wanted to play basketball. When their grandmother tried to intervene, he pushed the grandmother away. According to a statement from the YMCA, the suspect was a member at the time, and after his conduct the staff asked him to leave. When he refused, that’s when they called police. The officer was severely cut on his forehead, bruised on the side of the head and his eye was swollen shut. We have chosen not to post the image of the officer as it is graphic. We are very thankful he survived this brutal attack! We send this quilt to provide comfort during his recovery.
Deputy Cory Leigh Wood County Sheriff Department June 11, 2019 – Arpin, Wisconsin		Deputies were responding to a report of a suicidal person. After approximately 20 minutes of evaluating the subject, while deputies were speaking with a crisis interventionist from Wood County Crisis Intervention, the man ran inside the home and got a knife. Deputies struggled with the person and one deputy fired his weapon. Bullets struck the subject, another civilian and Deputy Cory Leigh. We hope this quilt will provide comfort to Deputy Leigh during his recovery.
Trooper Paul Wise South Carolina Department of Public Safety June 2, 2019 – York County, South Carolina		Trooper Paul Wise was attempting to pull over a suspect for not wearing a seatbelt. After the suspect did not pull over, a brief chase ensued in Rock Hill. The suspect at one point got out of the car, started shooting and hit Trooper Wise in his bulletproof vest. The suspect was shot and along with Trooper Wise was taken to an area hospital. We are thankful to hear Trooper Wise’s vest saved his life! We send this quilt to surround him with more support and comfort.
Sgt Steve DeAstis Greenburgh Police Department June 4, 2019 – Ardsley, New York		The FBI and the Greenburgh Police Task Force, including officers from several departments, were executing out-of-state warrants for multiple suspects when the shooting took place around 10:30 pm at the Ardsley Acres Motel at 560 Saw Mill River Road. As officers approached the motel, the suspect came out of the room and engaged the officers in gunfire. The suspect was killed, and Sgt Steve DeAstis, was shot but saved by his bulletproof vest. We are thankful to hear Sgt DeAstis vest saved his life! We send this quilt to surround him with more support and comfort.
Paramedic Josh Duda North Memorial Air Care June 28, 2019 – Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, Minnesota		Flight paramedic Josh Duda was injured in a medical helicopter crash in northern Minnesota. Conditions were foggy when the AgustaWestland A109 helicopter went down inside a fenced area at the airport. The helicopter crashed about 1 am near the airport. Paramedic Duda was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd. Sadly, the pilot and a nurse on board lost their lives in this crash. We send our love to their families. We send this quilt to Paramedic Duda to aid in his recovery.
Officer William McKeon Jr Sour Lake Police Department May 28, 2019 – Hardin County, Texas		Around 8:30 pm at night Officer William McKeon Jr was dispatched to a call about an unwanted person at the J & R Market at the intersection of Hwy 105 and 326 in Sour Lake. After Officer McKeon’s arrival at the store a confrontation ensued, and the suspect severely beat Officer McKeon leaving him with traumatic head injuries. The suspect then stole the Police SUV and fled north on Highway 326. Firefighters and medics from the Sour Lake Volunteer Fire Department as well as Acadian Ambulance responded to the scene. When officers arrived, they believed Officer McKeon had been shot due to the amount of blood. Officer McKeon was transported by an Acadian Air Med helicopter to Christus St. Elizabeth hospital in Beaumont. We would like to thank all the officers, deputies and K-9 units from the Beaumont Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety who joined Hardin County Sheriff’s deputies and Sour Lake Police officers in the search and apprehension of the suspect. We hope this quilt will surround Officer William McKeon Jr with love, support and comfort during his recovery.
Officer Evan Elliott Auburn Police Department May 20, 2019 – Auburn, Alabama		At approximately 10:40 PM, Auburn Police responded to a domestic disturbance call in a mobile home park in the 3000 block of Wire Road. The officers were met with gunfire. The suspect was clad in camouflage and body armor when he shot the officers at the Arrowhead Trailer Park in Auburn. Sadly, Officer William Buechner was killed by the gunfire. Officers Sistrunk and Elliott were injured by gunfire. We are devastated that an officer lost his life in this incident. We are sending this quilt to provide comfort during recovery for Officer Elliott.
Officer Webb Sistrunk Auburn Police Department May 20, 2019 – Auburn, Alabama		At approximately 10:40 PM, Auburn Police responded to a domestic disturbance call in a mobile home park in the 3000 block of Wire Road. The officers were met with gunfire. The suspect was clad in camouflage and body armor when he shot the officers at the Arrowhead Trailer Park in Auburn. Sadly, Officer William Buechner was killed by the gunfire. Officers Sistrunk and Elliott were injured by gunfire. We are devastated that an officer lost his life in this incident. We are sending this quilt to provide comfort during recovery for Officer Sistrunk.
Officer Darnell Bryant Chattanooga Police Department June 2, 2019 – Chattanooga, Tennessee		Officer Darnell Bryant was shot at the Waffle House on 23rd Street around 4 am. Officer Bryant saw a disorder in the parking lot of the Waffle House and went outside to break it up. He saw a woman holding a gun and as he tried to disarm her the officer and another man were shot. We are thankful this officer survived, and we send this quilt to let him know we care.
Las Cruces Police Officer Las Cruces Police Department June 17, 2019 - Las Cruces, New Mexico		Around 2 am, employees at the Jack in the Box located at 501 S. Telshor Blvd., called police to say a man was acting in a threatening manner. Shortly after an officer spotted a man matching the description of the man that had been at Jack in Box near the intersection of Lohman Avenue and Nacho Drive. The officer shined a spotlight on the man. The man responded by firing shots at the officer. Rounds went through the police unit’s windshield and struck the officer in the upper chest near his neck. The officer drove himself to Memorial Medical Center during which the officer alerted dispatch to the situation and gave a description of the man. Multiple agencies responded to the scene and found the shooting suspect near The Home Depot, 225 N. Telshor Blvd. The suspect didn't comply with officers' commands and officers fired non-lethal munitions. At some point, the man pointed a handgun at officers and fired at least one round. This quilt was sent to help support this officer in their recovery and we wish them the best.
Officer Sean Murphy Orlando Police Department May 9, 2019 – Orlando, Florida		Officer Sean Murphy pulled over a car driven by a suspect near the intersection of College Drive and Willie Mays Parkway just after 1 a.m. on May 9. The body worn camera footage showed Officer Murphy discovering the remnants of marijuana on the suspect’s center console and asking him to step out of the vehicle. The passenger-side window was missing. Officer Murphy searched the car, and afterwards the suspect went running back toward it, jumping in the driver's seat with Officer Murphy on top of him behind the wheel, with his legs outside the vehicle. The vehicle hit speeds of 60 mph with Officer Murphy hanging out the driver's side window. The chase ended when the vehicle traveled down a dead-end road, hitting another car and forcing Officer Murphy to tuck his legs up to avoid getting pinned. Wow! Once again, the video is overwhelming to watch but we are so thankful Officer Murphy was not injured more. We send him this quilt to let him know we care.
St Louis Police Officer St Louis Metropolitan Police Department June 6, 2019 – St Louis, MO		A St Louis Police Officer was shot in the leg following a shootout with a suspect being sought on a federal weapons charge. The shooting happened just before noon. US Marshals Service asked police to help capture the man, who was also wanted on a parole violation. The suspect was on parole related to a homicide. Officers converged on the man's car about a block from Powell Symphony Hall. The suspect ran, turned and fired a gun, striking the St Louis Officer in the right thigh. We hope this quilt will provide comfort during this officer’s recovery.
Trooper Arsenio Caballero Florida Highway Patrol May 25, 2019 – Broward County, Florida		The driver of a vehicle that was stopped by a trooper conducting seatbelt law enforcement on the southbound exit ramp from SR91 (Florida Turnpike) to westbound State Road 820 (Hollywood Boulevard) accelerated and hit Trooper Caballero. Trooper Arsenio Caballero was assisting in the enforcement, walking across the exit ramp to the west shoulder of the roadway, when the driver accelerates. Trooper Caballero was hit by the car and flew over the hood of the vehicle. The incident caused lacerations to Trooper Caballero’s head and a broken arm. The video of this takes your breath away and could have been far worse for this Trooper. We are thankful he survived and will recover. We hope this quilt provides him some comfort. Read his thank you on our Facebook page posted Aug 22, 2019
Captain Brian Dalton Sugarcreek Police Department June 26, 2019 – Sugarcreek, Ohio		Captain Brian Dalton stopped a man for driving a commercial vehicle through a no-truck zone. Captain Dalton was stabbed when he told the man he’d have to appear in court for damaging property. Captain Dalton was transported to Akron General Hospital by helicopter in stable condition. We are very thankful Captain Dalton survived and give him this quilt to comfort him during recovery.