The Hero of the Week is brought to you by Kidde Worry-Free Alarms… Be a safety hero for your family. Begin by replacing outdated smoke alarms. Learn other simple steps at Kidde.com. Kidde – Technology that saves lives. Find out how you can nominate a “Hero of the Week” at the bottom of the page.
This week’s nomination comes from Justin who writes…
I would like to nominate my father Wayne Matthews.
When I was growing up, he worked in law enforcement in North Carolina. Sadly, in 1992, my father sustained horrible injuries after a truck exploded that he was working on. I was just seven years old, and the doctors didn’t expect him to live. I was devastated.
However, only a few days later my father walked out of the hospital, and a short time after that, he returned to work as a deputy sheriff. Though my father faced a long battle on his road to recovery, over the next several years, he did it! And in 2004, he was able to retire.
After seeing my father go through everything he did with such strength and determination, it motivated and inspired me. So, in 2008, I was sworn into law enforcement with the same department my father retired from.
He has been my role model and my rock whenever things get rough. I’m proud to say, 13 years after the explosion, my father has been resilient and is still here with us. He’s the most supportive father a son could ask for….even continuously cheering me on as deputy sheriff.
My dad is my hero!
Thank you for sharing our story,
Justin
—
Suzanne’s Response:
Justin, your dad sounds like quite a hero, and thanks to your dad and you for doing what you do!
Nominate a Hero of the Week
Now, we want to know who has made a difference in your life. Nominate a local firefighter, police officer, EMT or someone who is serving our country in the military. It could even be a neighbor, family member or friend who lent a crucial helping hand. Let us know all about the person who you feel is a real life hero by emailing us here and please feel free to send us a picture!