Ross Co. sergeant shot in line of duty speaks out about need for mental health support
Retired Ross County Sheriff's sergeant, Eric Kocheran, is creating the Kocheran Strong Foundation to give back to the communities he once served as a sergeant. Retired Ross County Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Kocheran was shot in the line of duty after responding to a knock on the back door of the Ross County sheriff's Office. The incident occurred shortly after Nicholas Mitchel, who did not survive. Koccheran was placed in a medically induced coma and underwent several surgeries. He continues to receive mental health support for ADHD and PTSD. While he retired from law enforcement and firefighting for health reasons, he still feels a passion to serve and is working on a list of therapists and faith leaders who can be on call to talk with first responders after an incident.
Pubblicato : 2 mesi fa di http://www.facebook.com/nbc24wnwo, Isabelle Hanson in Health
Retired Ross County Sheriff's Sgt. Eric Kocheran is creating the Kocheran Strong Foundation to give back to the communities he once served as a sergeant.
Kocheran was shot in the line of duty after he responded to a knock on the back door of the Ross County Sheriff's Office.
"I was still standing at the door, and then I kind of stumbled back in and thought, 'I’ve been shot,'" said Kocheran.
Surveillance and body camera video show the less than one-minute exchange between Kocheran and the man, Nicholas Mitchel.
Kocheran can be heard asking him, "What's going on?"
"Somebody said they're going to hurt my family, and they want me to hurt kids, and I can't do it," Mitchell can be heard saying to Kocheran. "So, I've got to do this."
"When the first shot was fired, it became very quick. Everything sped up, and I fired," Kocheran said.
Mitchell did not survive, and Kocheran was flown to Grant Medical Center.
He said he was in a medically induced coma, had several surgeries, and at one point, there were fears he would not survive.
"The outcome of the shooting weighed heavily on me," he said.
It affects not only his physical health but also his mental health.
"When I left the hospital, they said that I’d probably be close to 7-8 months before I could talk to somebody, and that just was not acceptable to me, and I came back to Ross County and started making phone calls," he said. "I talked to a few people and basically said you need to squeeze me in."
He also said he struggled spiritually and had conversations with people about the impact of the incident.
"When I finally do go, what’s going to happen? Is it going to be something positive? Is it going to be something negative," he questioned.
Now, Kocheran continues to receive mental health support for ADHD and PTSD.
"In the process, I learned that talking about the incident and thinking about the incident keeps from having a level of anxiety that I’m not able to go out in public, and I was there," he said. "Simply going out in public was traumatic."
His friends and family continue to support him on his healing journey, always there for him when he calls. And his grandson brings light to his days.
"That’s the best part of my day when I get to see a picture of him, talk to him, or just see him on video," he said.
While Kocheran retired from law enforcement and firefighting for health reasons after the incident, he still feels a passion to serve, which is why he started the Kocheran Strong Foundation.
He's also working on a list of therapists and faith leaders who can be on call to talk with first responders on the clock after an incident.
"You’re sending these folks out here to be retraumatized, and we’re not doing anything to take some of the burden off of them," he said.
While he works to take that burden away from others, mental health care is also lifting it from him.
"I do something every day, and I force myself to, but it’s driven by this need to help others, this need that I know these other folks are going to need this down the road, and I can’t just quit," he said.
Kocheran also said he's grateful for the community's support since the incident. He still receives messages from friends and strangers alike.
The Kocheran Strong Foundation has a Facebook page and those interested in helping can email [email protected].
The Foundation also volunteers with local organizations and has plans for several upcoming events.
Temi: Social Issues