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A Michigan Police officer has been placed on medical leave after a freak injury he sustained in the line of duty. The man has been with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for 29 years, handling arson cases, and training police dogs.
Michigan Police Officer Has 11 Children with Various Illnesses
Tom Kangas, an Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy was recently forced to take a medical leave following a freak accident which occurred while he was on duty. According to his colleagues, Kangas’ right hand was almost crushed when an excavator’s grappled bucket accidentally closed.
The man was rushed to the hospital where the doctors determined that his middle finger was badly damaged and had to be removed. Moreover, the Michigan police officer also sustained nerve damage during the accident.
Kangas underwent two surgeries after the accident. Although the doctors managed to restore most of the hand’s functionality, they’ve told Kangas that he will need to start favoring his left arm from now on.
As a result, the sheriff’s deputy must relearn how to shoot his service gun with his left hand and perform everyday activities such as brushing his teeth or taking a shower.
Rebecca, his wife, told the reporters that her husband is slowly recovering, but the biggest challenge he has yet to overcome is managing his pain.
Regrettably, Kangas’ injury means that he will have to settle for a smaller paycheck. However, his colleagues were able to help him get 80 percent of his normal salary.
Conclusion
The Michigan police officer, who is also the father of 11 children, declared that even with a full salary, money is tight, as most of his and his wife’s earnings go to their children’s surgeries and medication. Kangas said that his children suffer from various medical issues such as hydrocephaly and Chiari malformation.
To help him with his recovery and his children’s treatment, Kangas’ colleagues set up a GoFundMe account. Up till now, they’ve managed to raise over $10,000.
Image source: Flickr
