Paralyzed officer: 'Paul's a fighter'
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PORTLAND, Ore. - A Portland police officer who was badly injured when a tree fell on him during training is now paralyzed.
Officer Paul Meyer was participating in ATV training at Hayden Island earlier this week when the accident, which appears to have been weather related, happened.
Meyer, a 19-year veteran of the police force, has been in the hospital ever since. On Saturday, the Portland Police Bureau stated that he is paralyzed from the waist down and that his doctors do not believe he will ever regain the use of his legs.
Portland Police Bureau spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson knows Meyer, who is a member of the bureau's Special Emergency Response Team (SERT), a training expert and a married father of two.
"Paul's a fighter," Simpson said. "And if Paul can make it through this and be part of the police community somehow, he'll do it."
The bureau said Meyer's family is grateful for all of the care and support that has been extended to them from not only the law enforcement community, but also from the citizens of Portland.
While Meyer's medical expenses will be covered, friends have set up a fund to help with other expenses, like converting the family's home and vehicles to allow wheelchair access.
If you would like to help out, an account has been established at Advantis Credit Union. Contributions can be made in person or mailed to any of the credit union's branches with the following information:
Officer Paul Meyer Fund
Account # 809390
You can also send cards to:
Portland Police Bureau SERT
Attn: Officer Meyer & Family
449 N.E. Emerson Street
Portland, OR 97211
It's sad that bad things happen to good people while the dredges of society remain healthy living off entitlments that this man paid into.
@Dikweed There are no police men in heaven
Good.
@FrankCastle Having socialized with city, county, state, police and BATF, your feeling are not misplaced, the cops hold us all in contempt, even your detractors. Do not waste your money donating, he will be provided everything he needs at taxpayer expense, 95% of paraplegics wifes leave them in the first 2 years after injury, he will have to learn how to reinvent himself if the depression does not kill him, being an excop will force him to develop normal relationships with the general public, this may be his biggest obstacle as law enforcement appeals to very specific types of sociopaths and all are untreatable, though some are adaptable. With 19 years service, depending on how they handle it, his monthly income should be around 6 grand and they should provide all adaptive equipment he will need for the rest of his life. This is an act of God, who are we to judge.
@FrankCastle Why would you say that about anybody???
@FrankCastle  Karma....You and your family just made the list...good luck dude.
 @FrankCastle wow you do know that even if you dont like cops this is bad,cause now we the tax payers will care for him for the rest of his life
@censoredirawoody I would like to think Portland Police pay workers comp insurance
 @FrankCastle Wow...what a hater!!!
i know how he can walk again but thats illegal in this country so now he has a choice he can put all the legal ,morals behind him and go oversees for stem cells or he cn just be a parapelegic dude go for the stem cells
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@Billy Heathcock There are merits to stem cell research