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In response to the latest controversy...
Here is a story about what it really means to be a cop. Many times we let the media distort our views but this hero is representative of most police offers out there.
I. ARIZONA OFFICER SHARES HIS AMAZING STORY OF SURVIVAL
Phoenix Police Officer Jason Schechterle was carrying out his "routine"
patrol on the night of March 26, 2001 doing the job that he so dearly
loved.
Jason, who was 29 at the time, had spent the night at the home of his
best
friend (and partner), Bryan Chapman. The two were usually inseparable.
However, that night, they did not ride together the entire shift. They
ate
together at around 9 p.m., Bryan told Newsline.
The very next call Jason took alone, but never arrived to complete the
response. It was a call for an 'unknown trouble,' Bryan said. It was
this
call that led Jason to the collision during which he was so severely
burned that he was left without a face. He was stripped of his physical
identity and of the life he had always known - a fate many would not
even
want to live through.
Jason and Bryan both spoke with Newsline in order to share this amazing
story of survival with you.
THE ACCIDENT - OFFICER ENGULFED IN FLAMES
"As Jason approached the intersection of 20th St and Thomas, he had his
overhead lights and siren on, but stopped for the red light facing him.
Before he could proceed through the intersection, his Ford Crown
Victoria
patrol car was hit by a taxicab traveling upwards of 115 mph," Bryan
explained. "Jason's patrol car was pushed approximately 226 feet and it
was immediately engulfed in a ball of flames."
What no one knew at the time was that the cab driver, Rogelio
Gutierrez,
35, had been responsible for four automobile accidents previously due
to
having epileptic seizures while driving. (During his trial, his defense
attorney, Jeffrey Mehrens, argued that Gutierrez was on medication, and
had an unpredictable seizure. However, Gutierrez continually denied his
condition, refused to consistently see a doctor and refused to properly
take his medication).
As chance, fate, or the grace of God would have it, Phoenix Fire Engine
#5
happened to be responding to the same call Jason was responding to, and
Jason's burning patrol car came to rest about 20 feet away from the
fire
engine.
It took firefighters no time to realize that a patrol car was involved
and
the officer was still inside the vehicle being engulfed in flames. They
fought through the flames heroically to get him out, the whole time
wondering if they were really doing him a favor by rescuing him. He was
so
badly burned, firefighters said, that a piece of his burnt skin peeled
off
his arm as they pulled him out of the car.
"By all accounts, it was about 30 seconds from the time of impact to
the
time water was put on the car. Jason was extricated from the car and
transported to Maricopa Co. Medical Center with burns over 40% of his
body. The worst burns were from the neck up, where Jason received 4th
degree burns - a medical term I had never heard of. He was in such bad
shape that a priest gave him his last rites before he went to surgery,"
Bryan explained.
KEEPING A BEST FRIEND'S PROMISE
When they were sworn in as officers, Bryan and Jason made a pact -
they promised each other that no matter what the situation was, it
would
be one of them that would tell the other one's wife if something
happened.
It was Bryan who had to keep that promise.
Suzie Schechterle, Jason's wife, had talked to Jason on the phone that
very night before the accident. She knew the risks of his job, and
when
he decided to pursue his dream 14 months before the accident, she
definitely had her worries and doubts, but she still supported him.
Telling Suzie was "the hardest thing I ever did," Bryan said. "Nothing
can
ever prepare you for that." The worst part, he said, was the feeling of
being so helpless.
"I remember standing in front of the door for what seemed like
eternity. I
wanted to give her that last 30 seconds of peaceful sleep."
And it was seconds later when Suzie heard those dreadful words,
"Jason's
been in a very bad accident," Bryan told her. "Another car hit him.
He's
in bad shape."
DETERMINED TO SAVE A HERO
"The next thing I knew," Jason told Newsline, "it was June 12th." Jason
said
he felt no pain, and he had no idea the extent of what had happened to
him.
"Jason was in a chemical coma for the next three months (after the
accident), Bryan said.
Suzie was right there when he awoke. She started to tell him the story
of
what happened.
"You're car was on fire," she told him. And that was the one thing that
he
always feared. He knew the dangers of his job - all warriors do. Jason
said he was sure he could handle being shot...stabbed...those were all
risks he knew he faced.
But, "The only thing I couldn't stand to happen was to be burned."
The doctors fought for hours to save him. His burns were so severe that
layer after layer of skin was pulled off his face only to reveal more
dead
skin.
"Doctors told us that he would survive, but they were not sure if he
was
blind or deaf. They painted a very grim picture. They told us that
Jason's
'face' had been removed down to the skull. His ears, nose and eyelids
were
burned away, and he would never resemble his old self," Bryan said of
his
partner's condition. Further, he had three fingers amputated after the
fire, and his other hand was badly burned.
RE-GAINING STRENGTH AND LEARNING THAT IDENTITY COMES FROM WITHIN
Jason, wrapped in bandages, could not see the extent of his injuries
until almost
6 months later. Doctors had to sew his eyes closed because his eyelids
were singed off. They had to graft skin to his eyes five times in an
effort to create eyelids that would open and close to protect the eyes.
In all, the officer underwent 19 surgeries before he ever even saw his
face.
He left the hospital on July 31, and went straight to a rehabilitation
center. When he finally arrived home a little over two weeks later, the
man that previously patrolled the streets as a warrior safeguarding the
rest of us, could do nothing for himself.
His wife had to help him get dressed, brush his teeth...any little
chore
that came so easily before was now a big deal.
"Right away," Jason said, "every time I found out something new, I very
quickly got the acceptance part of it." If my wife was still there,
that
gave me something big to live for."
"Despite his severe injuries, Jason aggressively worked with his
doctors
and rehab specialists. He was so focused and worked so hard that
doctors
were amazed themselves," Bryan said.
"He had a decision to make," Bryan added. He could be angry and feel
sorry
for himself or he could focus on the positives. One night as Jason lay
in
his bed, his eyes sewn shut and his head wrapped like a mummy, he
decided
to be a father to his kids and a husband to his wife."
THE SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR
What we sometimes naively forget is that the individual we are in
actuality, is masked by the identities assigned to us by society based
upon appearance. If you were stripped of your uniform, weapon and
holster,
patrol car, handcuffs, etc....would you still be a cop? You wouldn't
look
like a cop. Would you still have that hunter instinct that drives you
to
patrol those streets and risk your own life for the well being of your
fellow man? It is the spirit of a warrior, the inner being, that drives
a
5%er, not your physical appearance.
Jason dug deep down inside himself, and came face-to-face with that
warrior inside. It is the strength and determination in the soul that
makes the man - the man that Jason's family and friends love, and his
colleagues respect.
Calibre Press Street Survival Instructor Dave Smith reminds us that the
virtues of a warrior are DUTY, HONOR, LOYALTY, FAITH, COURAGE,
STRENGTH,
and SELFLESSNESS.
"This officers story transcends beyond the values of warriorhood to a
deeper sense of humanity," the instructor explains. "Jason has gone
above
and beyond the pain and suffering and is a model of how we should live
life to the fullest regardless of the circumstances we are dealt."
One of the hardest things to cope with, Jason added, is knowing that he
can no longer go on patrol. Being a cop is in his heart and soul.
However,
he finds comfort in knowing that his accident potentially saved several
lives that night.
That taxi driver was doing up to 115 mph and was having a seizure. If
Jason hadn't been there to stop him, the driver would've made it to the
busy intersection that was about a quarter mile away.
"In a way I was doing my job as a police officer and probably saved
someone's life who will never know it," he said.
MAKING EVERY DAY COUNT
To Jason, one of the most important lessons that can be drawn from this
experience is that anything can happen at any time, so make the days
you're blessed with count.
"As officers, we put ourselves in harms way intentionally. If something
happens - we can't take it as a big surprise. But things do happen that
you would never imagine could happen. You never know when one decision
will change your life forever, and the importance of what we're doing
every single day is immeasurable," he explains.
The WARRIOR SPIRIT was indeed within this officer, and giving up was
NOT
an option. He couldn't give up - he had to forge on for his family --
7-year-old step-daughter, Kiley, and two-year-old son, Zane.
Jason said that it took some time for Zane to recognize him as his
"daddy." He was very reluctant at first. He recognized his daddy's
voice
when Jason would speak to him, but Jason didn't "look" like his daddy.
But
with a little time, and a lot of love, the strength of Jason's family
overcame the adversity. Jason IS daddy, and "Daddy" is due to be a
father
again in November.
Meanwhile, Jason is still a cop at heart, and is certified to be a
detective. He is not willing to give up on law enforcement. He has
found
that he can take the integrity and loyalty ingrained in him from being
a
police officer, and relate that to the rest of society. He has engaged
in
a few public appearances and has aspirations to be a public information
officer.
Jason also met with specialists about replacing his nose and ears with
prosthetics, but he'd rather not undergo years of facial
reconstruction.
He'd rather focus on function, rather than appearance, he said.
Incidentally, the taxi driver that hit Jason was convicted of
aggravated
assault and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
I. ARIZONA OFFICER SHARES HIS AMAZING STORY OF SURVIVAL
Phoenix Police Officer Jason Schechterle was carrying out his "routine"
patrol on the night of March 26, 2001 doing the job that he so dearly
loved.
Jason, who was 29 at the time, had spent the night at the home of his
best
friend (and partner), Bryan Chapman. The two were usually inseparable.
However, that night, they did not ride together the entire shift. They
ate
together at around 9 p.m., Bryan told Newsline.
The very next call Jason took alone, but never arrived to complete the
response. It was a call for an 'unknown trouble,' Bryan said. It was
this
call that led Jason to the collision during which he was so severely
burned that he was left without a face. He was stripped of his physical
identity and of the life he had always known - a fate many would not
even
want to live through.
Jason and Bryan both spoke with Newsline in order to share this amazing
story of survival with you.
THE ACCIDENT - OFFICER ENGULFED IN FLAMES
"As Jason approached the intersection of 20th St and Thomas, he had his
overhead lights and siren on, but stopped for the red light facing him.
Before he could proceed through the intersection, his Ford Crown
Victoria
patrol car was hit by a taxicab traveling upwards of 115 mph," Bryan
explained. "Jason's patrol car was pushed approximately 226 feet and it
was immediately engulfed in a ball of flames."
What no one knew at the time was that the cab driver, Rogelio
Gutierrez,
35, had been responsible for four automobile accidents previously due
to
having epileptic seizures while driving. (During his trial, his defense
attorney, Jeffrey Mehrens, argued that Gutierrez was on medication, and
had an unpredictable seizure. However, Gutierrez continually denied his
condition, refused to consistently see a doctor and refused to properly
take his medication).
As chance, fate, or the grace of God would have it, Phoenix Fire Engine
#5
happened to be responding to the same call Jason was responding to, and
Jason's burning patrol car came to rest about 20 feet away from the
fire
engine.
It took firefighters no time to realize that a patrol car was involved
and
the officer was still inside the vehicle being engulfed in flames. They
fought through the flames heroically to get him out, the whole time
wondering if they were really doing him a favor by rescuing him. He was
so
badly burned, firefighters said, that a piece of his burnt skin peeled
off
his arm as they pulled him out of the car.
"By all accounts, it was about 30 seconds from the time of impact to
the
time water was put on the car. Jason was extricated from the car and
transported to Maricopa Co. Medical Center with burns over 40% of his
body. The worst burns were from the neck up, where Jason received 4th
degree burns - a medical term I had never heard of. He was in such bad
shape that a priest gave him his last rites before he went to surgery,"
Bryan explained.
KEEPING A BEST FRIEND'S PROMISE
When they were sworn in as officers, Bryan and Jason made a pact -
they promised each other that no matter what the situation was, it
would
be one of them that would tell the other one's wife if something
happened.
It was Bryan who had to keep that promise.
Suzie Schechterle, Jason's wife, had talked to Jason on the phone that
very night before the accident. She knew the risks of his job, and
when
he decided to pursue his dream 14 months before the accident, she
definitely had her worries and doubts, but she still supported him.
Telling Suzie was "the hardest thing I ever did," Bryan said. "Nothing
can
ever prepare you for that." The worst part, he said, was the feeling of
being so helpless.
"I remember standing in front of the door for what seemed like
eternity. I
wanted to give her that last 30 seconds of peaceful sleep."
And it was seconds later when Suzie heard those dreadful words,
"Jason's
been in a very bad accident," Bryan told her. "Another car hit him.
He's
in bad shape."
DETERMINED TO SAVE A HERO
"The next thing I knew," Jason told Newsline, "it was June 12th." Jason
said
he felt no pain, and he had no idea the extent of what had happened to
him.
"Jason was in a chemical coma for the next three months (after the
accident), Bryan said.
Suzie was right there when he awoke. She started to tell him the story
of
what happened.
"You're car was on fire," she told him. And that was the one thing that
he
always feared. He knew the dangers of his job - all warriors do. Jason
said he was sure he could handle being shot...stabbed...those were all
risks he knew he faced.
But, "The only thing I couldn't stand to happen was to be burned."
The doctors fought for hours to save him. His burns were so severe that
layer after layer of skin was pulled off his face only to reveal more
dead
skin.
"Doctors told us that he would survive, but they were not sure if he
was
blind or deaf. They painted a very grim picture. They told us that
Jason's
'face' had been removed down to the skull. His ears, nose and eyelids
were
burned away, and he would never resemble his old self," Bryan said of
his
partner's condition. Further, he had three fingers amputated after the
fire, and his other hand was badly burned.
RE-GAINING STRENGTH AND LEARNING THAT IDENTITY COMES FROM WITHIN
Jason, wrapped in bandages, could not see the extent of his injuries
until almost
6 months later. Doctors had to sew his eyes closed because his eyelids
were singed off. They had to graft skin to his eyes five times in an
effort to create eyelids that would open and close to protect the eyes.
In all, the officer underwent 19 surgeries before he ever even saw his
face.
He left the hospital on July 31, and went straight to a rehabilitation
center. When he finally arrived home a little over two weeks later, the
man that previously patrolled the streets as a warrior safeguarding the
rest of us, could do nothing for himself.
His wife had to help him get dressed, brush his teeth...any little
chore
that came so easily before was now a big deal.
"Right away," Jason said, "every time I found out something new, I very
quickly got the acceptance part of it." If my wife was still there,
that
gave me something big to live for."
"Despite his severe injuries, Jason aggressively worked with his
doctors
and rehab specialists. He was so focused and worked so hard that
doctors
were amazed themselves," Bryan said.
"He had a decision to make," Bryan added. He could be angry and feel
sorry
for himself or he could focus on the positives. One night as Jason lay
in
his bed, his eyes sewn shut and his head wrapped like a mummy, he
decided
to be a father to his kids and a husband to his wife."
THE SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR
What we sometimes naively forget is that the individual we are in
actuality, is masked by the identities assigned to us by society based
upon appearance. If you were stripped of your uniform, weapon and
holster,
patrol car, handcuffs, etc....would you still be a cop? You wouldn't
look
like a cop. Would you still have that hunter instinct that drives you
to
patrol those streets and risk your own life for the well being of your
fellow man? It is the spirit of a warrior, the inner being, that drives
a
5%er, not your physical appearance.
Jason dug deep down inside himself, and came face-to-face with that
warrior inside. It is the strength and determination in the soul that
makes the man - the man that Jason's family and friends love, and his
colleagues respect.
Calibre Press Street Survival Instructor Dave Smith reminds us that the
virtues of a warrior are DUTY, HONOR, LOYALTY, FAITH, COURAGE,
STRENGTH,
and SELFLESSNESS.
"This officers story transcends beyond the values of warriorhood to a
deeper sense of humanity," the instructor explains. "Jason has gone
above
and beyond the pain and suffering and is a model of how we should live
life to the fullest regardless of the circumstances we are dealt."
One of the hardest things to cope with, Jason added, is knowing that he
can no longer go on patrol. Being a cop is in his heart and soul.
However,
he finds comfort in knowing that his accident potentially saved several
lives that night.
That taxi driver was doing up to 115 mph and was having a seizure. If
Jason hadn't been there to stop him, the driver would've made it to the
busy intersection that was about a quarter mile away.
"In a way I was doing my job as a police officer and probably saved
someone's life who will never know it," he said.
MAKING EVERY DAY COUNT
To Jason, one of the most important lessons that can be drawn from this
experience is that anything can happen at any time, so make the days
you're blessed with count.
"As officers, we put ourselves in harms way intentionally. If something
happens - we can't take it as a big surprise. But things do happen that
you would never imagine could happen. You never know when one decision
will change your life forever, and the importance of what we're doing
every single day is immeasurable," he explains.
The WARRIOR SPIRIT was indeed within this officer, and giving up was
NOT
an option. He couldn't give up - he had to forge on for his family --
7-year-old step-daughter, Kiley, and two-year-old son, Zane.
Jason said that it took some time for Zane to recognize him as his
"daddy." He was very reluctant at first. He recognized his daddy's
voice
when Jason would speak to him, but Jason didn't "look" like his daddy.
But
with a little time, and a lot of love, the strength of Jason's family
overcame the adversity. Jason IS daddy, and "Daddy" is due to be a
father
again in November.
Meanwhile, Jason is still a cop at heart, and is certified to be a
detective. He is not willing to give up on law enforcement. He has
found
that he can take the integrity and loyalty ingrained in him from being
a
police officer, and relate that to the rest of society. He has engaged
in
a few public appearances and has aspirations to be a public information
officer.
Jason also met with specialists about replacing his nose and ears with
prosthetics, but he'd rather not undergo years of facial
reconstruction.
He'd rather focus on function, rather than appearance, he said.
Incidentally, the taxi driver that hit Jason was convicted of
aggravated
assault and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
