To the editor:
On Nov. 19, as I was driving on 25th Street and Louisiana at 5:30 p.m., I swerved to avoid hitting a large pothole on the west side of the street. My Toyota then climbed an embankment, hit a utility pole and came to rest. My car was totaled, and suddenly, a good Samaritan appeared on the scene and extricated me from the vehicle whose front had collapsed on me, trapping me.
Other bystanders then called 911. Officer Leo Souders was the first to appear at the scene and rushed me to the emergency room where I was treated for multiple injuries. He then returned to emergency and remained with me, offering me comfort and support until I was discharged later that night.
My reason for writing this letter is to thank my good angels, Mrs. Proull and Officer Souders, who, on a busy game night, went far above the call of duty. May God bless them!
Comments
Leslie Swearingen 4 years, 2 months ago
There are many such police officers in Lawrence who go above and beyond the call of duty. It is tough on them to do what they do and then be bad mouthed by people. And they have to stand there and take it and not respond in kind. Merry Christmas to all the police and the first responders out there.
geekin_topekan 4 years, 2 months ago
There are other cities where the cop would have investigated you in hopes of writing a ticket for damaging the pole or blocking traffic, while you waited for the ambulance.
My favorite cops in toontown? The one who let me eat my burrito king before taking me to jail. The one who set on a bench and girl-watched with me. There are many others but I won't bring them to this board. Talk to me on the streets and I will tell you how incredibly decent and overly fair they have been with me. The last contact I had with LPD is what really motivated me out of the alcoholic abyss. Though a little miffed at the time, I would be dead today if it weren't for LPD.
Leslie Swearingen 4 years, 2 months ago
geekin_topekan thank you for sharing this. After being though what you have do you think that means that every homeless alcoalic can also change and get their lives back? Why do you think that under the same circumstances some people change and some don't?
mr_right_wing 4 years, 2 months ago
Just another useless, good-for-nothing, corrupt cop, right 'randysavage' and 'gogoplata'?
geekin_topekan 4 years, 2 months ago
"Why do you think that under the same circumstances some people change and some don't?" ++++ The recent death of another homeless person last week (did not make the paper) is an example of someone who had all things available to her yet she continued to drink. A caring family and a good head on her shoulders, weren't enough to motivate her into sobriety. I am as baffled as you. Why do alcoholics drink? Because they like the effects of alcohol. For myself, the deepest feelings of despair, shame, guilt, uselessness, and hopelessness, can be easily replaced with a life of well being, or even grandeur and purpose, by ingesting alcohol in any form (ANY form). Perhaps it is easier to continue that easy life of sunny days than to face the responsibility of grasping the bull by the horns and accepting the responsibility of cleaning up your life and pursuing the things that you want. Of course, I can only speak for myself. I have no idea why others don't/won't do the same. Sobriety is a selfish pursuit of peace, yet you have to serve other alcoholics. Quite a contradiction, huh. That peace is often mistaken as boredom, because I am addicted to chaos. The peace that I feel is not natural to me, so it is uncomfortable (at first). It takes practice to be able to become comfortable in your own skin after 25 years of an alcoholic lifestyle. Some people expect the same euphoria from sobriety that they found in booze and they expect it to come just as quickly and easily. Lastly, if sobriety and its rewards were easy, everyone would be doing it. Personally, I feel blessed because the daily miracles that most people take for granted, shine brilliantly for me. We live in a wondrous world and I want to see as much of it as I can. I have a proven way of achieving sobriety and peace. Anyone is more than welcome to use my ideas or create their own, it really doesn't matter to me. I would like to hear your way and maybe I can apply your ideas and see if they work for me.. That is how its done.
geekin_topekan 4 years, 2 months ago
"The recent death of another homeless person last week ..." ++++ Is this redundant? Grammar police, help me out here.
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