CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago police officer Daniel Golden, who was shot and paralyzed after breaking up a bar fight in Beverly last weekend, was released from the hospital.
Golden is now heading to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to work with physical therapists as he continues his recovery. His family believes it is the best place in the world for his recovery.
“If he can do four years in the frozen tundra of Alaska in the military, he can get through it, he can do it. He’s got a good mindset, he’s tough,” said his father, Patrick Golden, a former Chicago police officer. detective.
As Officer Golden left Advocate Christ Medical Center on Friday afternoon, he was greeted by a cheering crowd of friends, family and fellow officers.
Golden smiled as paramedics moved him through the crowd to a Chicago Fire Department ambulance. The crowd of well-wishers who greeted him included longtime friends from the southwest side.
“Seeing these people here that he went to high school with, to high school, served in the police department, it was so uplifting for him. It’s amazing,” her father said.
Golden was shot last weekend outside a bar in the Beverly neighborhood. Three men are charged with shootingand prosecutors said Golden was simply trying to break up a fight when one of the three men shot him in the back.
“We must stop this senseless and senseless gun violence. Too many people here getting shot. There are too many people here getting killed in the United States of America,” his father said.
Golden, a US Army veteran, is now paralyzed from the waist down.
“He is strong in the army. He can do it,” his father said.
After his son was taken to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Officer Golden’s father thanked everyone for their support and thanked Christ Medical Center for treating his son.
“Christ Hospital has been amazing. They saved his life. When I saw him the other morning, I thought he was going to die in front of me. He was in shock. Christ Hospital brought him back. They saved him. Hats off to Christ Hospital. I can’t say enough,” he said.
He also shared that his son impressed the doctors at Christ Medical Center, as he is already able to move into and out of a chair using what is called a transfer board.
Officer Golden’s father said his son is resilient, as tough as he can be and ready for the road ahead.
CBS 2’s Tim McNicholas graduated from St. Rita High School with Golden in 2009, and he said that even then Golden was known as a tough, resilient guy throughout the school.
A GoFundMe for the recovery of Officer Golden has raised over $1.2 million. You can find this GoFundMe here.
