Injured Cape Coral Police officer a walking miracle

A Cape Coral Police Officer makes his first public appearance tonight 8 months after a serious motorcycle accident nearly took his life. Last June, Damien Garcia was riding is patrol motorcycle when an SUV pulled out in front of him, leaving him with serious head injuries. Doctors weren’t sure he going to survive. Saturday night, Garcia was a walking miracle at the Gene Griffin Memorial Football Game at Ida Baker High School.

The game is an annual charity event between the Fort Myers and Cape Coral police and firefighters. While Damien Garcia would rather have been playing alongside his fellow officers, tonight, he played a different position, doing the honorary coin toss and getting the loudest cheers of the night.

Slow and steady, 26 year old Damien Garcia walks with the help of his fiance. 8 months ago, he was in and out of a coma, and couldn’t walk or breathe on his own. The last thing doctors imagined he’d he doing is walking more than 50 yards across a football field. But Saturday night, he did just that, giving players and the crowd a true lesson in courage.

“To see him out here walking after all reports, going through a coma, and coming out of it, wheelchair, physical therapy and to see him take steps out here and actually wave at people do the coin toss, it was such an inspiration to all of us out here,” Brad Dickerson of the Fort Myers Police said.

Although Garcia was too tired to speak, his footsteps alone spoke volumes. “Never give up, never never never say never,” said Erik Chudzik of the Cape Coral Fire Department. “It was so bleak for him and it has been for other people but you never give up. Never stop fighting.”

“We know where the credit goes, this is a God thing, and the blessings from prayers that were given, here we are today. It is a miracle,” Cape Coral Police Chief Rob Petrovich said.

While Garcia may not have been tackling and throwing the football, Saturday night, he can definitely take credit for a touchdown or two. “We’re definitely out here with a little extra to go from Damien,” Chudzik said.

The final score of the night was Police: 7, Firefighters: 6, but it was pretty obvious from talking to players, whether their uniforms were red or blue, they were all playing for the same person.

By Haley Hinds

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