‘Miraculous’ recovery
incident to now, sitting with his family, joking, talking about childhood memories,” he said. “At one point he couldn’t open his eyes, couldn’t speak, and now he’s moving, he’s pedaling the bicycle, who knows where the end of this journey is going to be.”
Jones still has some substantial recovery ahead, but his family, colleagues and the hospital staff who treated him aren’t counting anything out.
“I served in the Marine Corps and 17 years doing this job, and he’s the bravest individual I’ve ever met,” Park Forest police Cmdr. Lee Elliot said. “Every single day, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, he’s been doing rehabilitation to work toward this day, and that’s a testament to his dedication, to his strength.”
Elliot was among a large contingent of Park Forest officers who made the hourlong trek to Wheaton on Friday morning to see their brother in blue released from the hospital.
The uniformed officers formed a line outside Marianjoy that stretched from the hospital entrance to a waiting medical transport van, and they applauded as their wounded comrade was wheeled by and lifted into the vehicle.
Jones, flanked by his father and sister, did not speak publicly Friday but maintained a milewide grin while being pushed to the van amid the applause and a vociferous “TimStrong” cheer.
Now begins a “rigorous, continuous, nonstop” rehabilitation process, which Jones will embark on from his family’s home in the south suburbs, his father said.
Jones’ ultimate goal is to return to the Park Forest Police Department. If he does, the department will welcome him back with open arms. The station is plastered with posters of Jones, and officers wear a button with his picture on their uniform shirt.
“He’s still part of our police department,”
Green said. “He’s still on the schedule, he’s still got a locker, a mailbox. So he’s just an injured officer to us.
“We’re going to be with him until we get him back.”
Jones had been on the force less then a year on the morning of March 19, 2016, when he responded to a break-in at a vacant home on the 300 block of Neola Avenue.
Just as police were establishing a perimeter around the home, the armed suspect, 21-year-old Thurman Reynolds, exited, police said.
It’s at that point, Elliot said, that Jones bravely jumped into action — tackling Reynolds to the ground in an attempt to apprehend him.
In the process, Reynolds opened fire, striking Jones twice in his head, before being shot and killed by police, said Elliot, who was on the scene that day and witnessed the shootout.
Critically injured, Jones was rushed to the hospital and placed in a medically induced coma to relieve swelling on his brain. William Jones has previously said that one doctor told him the odds of winning the Powerball were better than his son’s chance of survival.
“We were told he wasn’t going to make 24 hours after the incident,” Green said.
“And I remember telling his dad, ‘Hey, we just passed 25 hours.’ “And then they said these next 48 hours are going to be crucial. And after 48 hours, I told his dad, ‘Hey, we’re in the 49th hour.
Here we are, past 14 months, and he’s still continuing to progress.”
Despite his brush with death, Jones has no regrets, according to his father, who is the chief of police in Country Club Hills.
William Jones said his son told him he had no doubt that his father would have done the same thing if faced with the same situation and that he’d do it all over again if he had to, despite the grave consequences.
“He said, ‘In my mind, the most important thing was keeping my fellow officers safe,’ ” William Jones said his son told him.
“And I’m just looking at him, like, ‘Kid, next time just don’t go so big. You don’t have to give me such a heart attack.’”
The ordeal has simultaneously devastated and galvanized the tight-knit Park Forest police force, Green said.
“We’re a small department. Everybody knows everybody’s kids, wives. We’re like a family,” he said. “It touched everybody different, but it brought everybody closer, a little tighter. It made everybody understand the reality of the job.”
Elliot said the incident has increased his own gratitude for all that he has and all the people in his life. He said seeing the dedication with which Jones and his supportive family have approached the rehabilitation process has made him a better officer and a better family man.
“We can all complain about certain things in life, but when you have something like this and see how much of a fighter he is, it really puts it in perspective as to, yeah, well you know what, my day is not that bad,” Elliot said.
Eric Larson, the director of psychology at Marianjoy, called Jones a “tremendously resilient” and “incredible patient” who remained motivated to do his absolute best throughout the rehabilitation process.
He said that while Jones still struggles with some things typical of patients with a traumatic brain injury, the officer has a clear understanding of the events that led up to his injury and the nature of the injury itself.
Given the complicated nature of brain injuries and their effects, doctors said it’s hard to know whether Jones will have some degree of permanent impairment.
“There’s always a potential” for full recovery, Dr. Steven Bou said, adding that the Marianjoy staff is looking forward to “hearing great things about (Jones’) continued recovery.”
Count Jones’ father, who remains upbeat and optimistic about his son’s chances, among the believers.
“Just because you see him leaving in a wheelchair (doesn’t) mean that he can’t get out that wheelchair,” William Jones said, smiling.
“He does plan on going back to work, and we just have to see if that’s God’s plan.” zkoeske@tribpub.com Twitter @ZakKoeske
Jones still has some substantial recovery ahead, but his family, colleagues and the hospital staff who treated him aren’t counting anything out.
“I served in the Marine Corps and 17 years doing this job, and he’s the bravest individual I’ve ever met,” Park Forest police Cmdr. Lee Elliot said. “Every single day, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, he’s been doing rehabilitation to work toward this day, and that’s a testament to his dedication, to his strength.”
Elliot was among a large contingent of Park Forest officers who made the hourlong trek to Wheaton on Friday morning to see their brother in blue released from the hospital.
The uniformed officers formed a line outside Marianjoy that stretched from the hospital entrance to a waiting medical transport van, and they applauded as their wounded comrade was wheeled by and lifted into the vehicle.
Jones, flanked by his father and sister, did not speak publicly Friday but maintained a milewide grin while being pushed to the van amid the applause and a vociferous “TimStrong” cheer.
Now begins a “rigorous, continuous, nonstop” rehabilitation process, which Jones will embark on from his family’s home in the south suburbs, his father said.
Jones’ ultimate goal is to return to the Park Forest Police Department. If he does, the department will welcome him back with open arms. The station is plastered with posters of Jones, and officers wear a button with his picture on their uniform shirt.
“He’s still part of our police department,”
Green said. “He’s still on the schedule, he’s still got a locker, a mailbox. So he’s just an injured officer to us.
“We’re going to be with him until we get him back.”
Jones had been on the force less then a year on the morning of March 19, 2016, when he responded to a break-in at a vacant home on the 300 block of Neola Avenue.
Just as police were establishing a perimeter around the home, the armed suspect, 21-year-old Thurman Reynolds, exited, police said.
It’s at that point, Elliot said, that Jones bravely jumped into action — tackling Reynolds to the ground in an attempt to apprehend him.
In the process, Reynolds opened fire, striking Jones twice in his head, before being shot and killed by police, said Elliot, who was on the scene that day and witnessed the shootout.
Critically injured, Jones was rushed to the hospital and placed in a medically induced coma to relieve swelling on his brain. William Jones has previously said that one doctor told him the odds of winning the Powerball were better than his son’s chance of survival.
“We were told he wasn’t going to make 24 hours after the incident,” Green said.
“And I remember telling his dad, ‘Hey, we just passed 25 hours.’ “And then they said these next 48 hours are going to be crucial. And after 48 hours, I told his dad, ‘Hey, we’re in the 49th hour.
Here we are, past 14 months, and he’s still continuing to progress.”
Despite his brush with death, Jones has no regrets, according to his father, who is the chief of police in Country Club Hills.
William Jones said his son told him he had no doubt that his father would have done the same thing if faced with the same situation and that he’d do it all over again if he had to, despite the grave consequences.
“He said, ‘In my mind, the most important thing was keeping my fellow officers safe,’ ” William Jones said his son told him.
“And I’m just looking at him, like, ‘Kid, next time just don’t go so big. You don’t have to give me such a heart attack.’”
The ordeal has simultaneously devastated and galvanized the tight-knit Park Forest police force, Green said.
“We’re a small department. Everybody knows everybody’s kids, wives. We’re like a family,” he said. “It touched everybody different, but it brought everybody closer, a little tighter. It made everybody understand the reality of the job.”
Elliot said the incident has increased his own gratitude for all that he has and all the people in his life. He said seeing the dedication with which Jones and his supportive family have approached the rehabilitation process has made him a better officer and a better family man.
“We can all complain about certain things in life, but when you have something like this and see how much of a fighter he is, it really puts it in perspective as to, yeah, well you know what, my day is not that bad,” Elliot said.
Eric Larson, the director of psychology at Marianjoy, called Jones a “tremendously resilient” and “incredible patient” who remained motivated to do his absolute best throughout the rehabilitation process.
He said that while Jones still struggles with some things typical of patients with a traumatic brain injury, the officer has a clear understanding of the events that led up to his injury and the nature of the injury itself.
Given the complicated nature of brain injuries and their effects, doctors said it’s hard to know whether Jones will have some degree of permanent impairment.
“There’s always a potential” for full recovery, Dr. Steven Bou said, adding that the Marianjoy staff is looking forward to “hearing great things about (Jones’) continued recovery.”
Count Jones’ father, who remains upbeat and optimistic about his son’s chances, among the believers.
“Just because you see him leaving in a wheelchair (doesn’t) mean that he can’t get out that wheelchair,” William Jones said, smiling.
“He does plan on going back to work, and we just have to see if that’s God’s plan.” zkoeske@tribpub.com Twitter @ZakKoeske
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