antiquity
12-16-2002, 07:17 AM
Paralyzed cop sees holiday blessings
By Becca Blond
Special to The Denver Post
Sunday, December 15, 2002 - FLORENCE - Toby Bethel is anticipating this Christmas to be the best of his life, which says a lot considering he's still in a wheelchair, partially paralyzed and in much pain.
"This will be the best one I've ever had in my entire life," Bethel said Friday at his home in Florence. "I'm alive and here in my house with my family."
It certainly will be better than the depressing Christmas he celebrated last year in a hospital bed in Englewood. At the time, it had been less than two months since 24-year-old twin brothers shot him while he was on duty with the Florence Police Department.
Joel and Michael Stovall shot Bethel on Sept. 28, 2001, and eluded police on a day-long rampage that left Fremont County sheriff's Deputy Jason Schwartz dead. Two bullets hit one of Bethel's shoulders and pierced his spine.
The Stovalls pleaded guilty in November in connection with the shootout and are serving life plus 896 years for injuring Bethel and killing Schwartz.
The past year hasn't been easy for Bethel, his wife, Misty, and their three young children. Bethel, who spent much of the year in and out of hospitals, described it as hellish, and his eyes teared as he talked.
"It's been like nothing I would ever want to see anyone go through," he said. "Within seconds my whole life was turned upside-down."
But things are looking up now. Due in part to a major effort by the Denver Homebuilders Foundation and the Pueblo Homebuilders Association, Bethel is getting a newly remodeled handicap-accessible kitchen and a wheelchair ramp in his backyard. The Denver Homebuilders Foundation also raised $1,000 for Christmas gifts for the Bethel family. The effort was conceived through Rep. Scott McInnis' office.
"I used to be a cop, and it's a brotherhood," the Grand Junction Republican said. "For the first month after something like this, police officers are everybody's heroes, but then everyone goes on with their lives. We didn't want (the Bethels) to fall off the radar."
The family was presented Friday with bags of gifts, the blueprints for the construction, which is set to start in a few weeks, and a recognition from Congress citing Bethel's service to his country.
"A lot of efforts have been made to thank the family for all the sacrifices they've made for us," McInnis said. "I don't think I would have had the gumption to go through what Toby has gone through."
The tears flowed easily during the short presentation.
"I was totally and completely in shock when they told us about the renovations," Misty Bethel said. "I didn't believe it. Even though we've gone through all the bad stuff, we've got to meet a lot of really, really good people."
The Pueblo Homebuilders provided the labor for the projects as well as material and labor for the wheelchair ramp. The Denver Homebuilders Foundation supplied $35,000 worth of materials for the kitchen.
"I've never experienced such generosity before," Toby Bethel said. "Without all the help we've got, we wouldn't be here, we'd be living with my parents. When something like this happens people think as a cop you're covered, but you're not."
And on Friday, surrounded by his family and all those working to make his life better, Bethel said he felt good despite that he still can't sit in his wheelchair for lengthy amounts of time, endures four days a week of physical therapy and most likely will never walk again.
"Today I'm feeling better than I have been since the day I was shot," he said. "I don't know what the future holds for me, so I'm just going to go day by day."
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E53%7E1053384%7E,00.html
By Becca Blond
Special to The Denver Post
Sunday, December 15, 2002 - FLORENCE - Toby Bethel is anticipating this Christmas to be the best of his life, which says a lot considering he's still in a wheelchair, partially paralyzed and in much pain.
"This will be the best one I've ever had in my entire life," Bethel said Friday at his home in Florence. "I'm alive and here in my house with my family."
It certainly will be better than the depressing Christmas he celebrated last year in a hospital bed in Englewood. At the time, it had been less than two months since 24-year-old twin brothers shot him while he was on duty with the Florence Police Department.
Joel and Michael Stovall shot Bethel on Sept. 28, 2001, and eluded police on a day-long rampage that left Fremont County sheriff's Deputy Jason Schwartz dead. Two bullets hit one of Bethel's shoulders and pierced his spine.
The Stovalls pleaded guilty in November in connection with the shootout and are serving life plus 896 years for injuring Bethel and killing Schwartz.
The past year hasn't been easy for Bethel, his wife, Misty, and their three young children. Bethel, who spent much of the year in and out of hospitals, described it as hellish, and his eyes teared as he talked.
"It's been like nothing I would ever want to see anyone go through," he said. "Within seconds my whole life was turned upside-down."
But things are looking up now. Due in part to a major effort by the Denver Homebuilders Foundation and the Pueblo Homebuilders Association, Bethel is getting a newly remodeled handicap-accessible kitchen and a wheelchair ramp in his backyard. The Denver Homebuilders Foundation also raised $1,000 for Christmas gifts for the Bethel family. The effort was conceived through Rep. Scott McInnis' office.
"I used to be a cop, and it's a brotherhood," the Grand Junction Republican said. "For the first month after something like this, police officers are everybody's heroes, but then everyone goes on with their lives. We didn't want (the Bethels) to fall off the radar."
The family was presented Friday with bags of gifts, the blueprints for the construction, which is set to start in a few weeks, and a recognition from Congress citing Bethel's service to his country.
"A lot of efforts have been made to thank the family for all the sacrifices they've made for us," McInnis said. "I don't think I would have had the gumption to go through what Toby has gone through."
The tears flowed easily during the short presentation.
"I was totally and completely in shock when they told us about the renovations," Misty Bethel said. "I didn't believe it. Even though we've gone through all the bad stuff, we've got to meet a lot of really, really good people."
The Pueblo Homebuilders provided the labor for the projects as well as material and labor for the wheelchair ramp. The Denver Homebuilders Foundation supplied $35,000 worth of materials for the kitchen.
"I've never experienced such generosity before," Toby Bethel said. "Without all the help we've got, we wouldn't be here, we'd be living with my parents. When something like this happens people think as a cop you're covered, but you're not."
And on Friday, surrounded by his family and all those working to make his life better, Bethel said he felt good despite that he still can't sit in his wheelchair for lengthy amounts of time, endures four days a week of physical therapy and most likely will never walk again.
"Today I'm feeling better than I have been since the day I was shot," he said. "I don't know what the future holds for me, so I'm just going to go day by day."
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E53%7E1053384%7E,00.html