COVINGTON, Ga. — An amazing journey of recovery for an officer shot in the head in 2018 has finally come to the day where he has returned to work.
The Covington Police Department shared the good news on its Facebook page Monday, saying Officer Matt Cooper was back on the job.
As you can imagine, the road to get there was not easy.
It was September 3, 2018 when Covington Police Officer Matt Cooper and a sergeant were called to the Walmart on Industrial Boulevard to respond to a shoplifting call.
Two people were taken into custody in the parking lot and a third ran from the scene.
Police said Officer Cooper and the sergeant ran in opposite directions as they looked for the suspect.
The sergeant heard two gunshots and found Cooper seriously wounded behind a nearby building.
The Army veteran was taken to the Atlanta Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the head. He was later transferred to Grady Hospital. Authorities said the suspect took his own life.
Cooper was 34-years-old at the time of the shooting. The police officer, a family man with a wife and two small children, faced a long road to recovery, reported 11Alive.
Since that Labor Day 2018 shooting, Cooper has made several strides along the away, such as mouthing the words “I love you” to his wife while he was in the hospital, being moved to the Shepherd Center to start brain injury rehabilitation, going home just in time for the holidays, and even getting well enough to go for a “run.”
He even got the chance to throw the first pitch at the Braves game in September.
And now, the community is celebrating the milestone of his return to work.
“Welcome back 148,” the photo post said for Cooper. “Officer Cooper is back at work 5.18.20. WE ARE BLESSED.”
