On July 2nd, 2020, Kansas City police officer Tyler Moss was dispatched to the scene of the McDonald's at 31st and Van Brunt, where a man was brandishing a gun. Following a quick chase after arriving on the scene, the suspect began firing his weapon at the police.
Officer Moss was shot just to the right of his right eye, the bullet lodging in his head. Another officer subsequently shot and killed the gunman. Moss was rushed to the hospital where doctors considered it unlikely that he would live.
Miraculously, Moss not only survived the incident, he's now teaching and mentoring at the Kansas City Regional Police Academy. Along the way, there was no shortage of struggles to overcome as he had to relearn things like tying his shoes and bathing himself.
"I was in a wheelchair for the first month. I had to relearn how to walk and, when I say relearn how to walk, I mean, like, step-by-step," says Moss. "Like, getting up out of my chair, to taking my first steps again, and then to progressing to ultimately being able to run now and do everything else."
Moving forward, Moss hopes to spend much of his time sharing his story with others.
"I really think ultimately I was put on this earth to inspire people and help people out," he says. "I really want to get into motivational speaking."
This year, Moss is being honored as the brain injury honoree at the 35th annual Going the Distance for Brain Injury Run on Memorial Day morning at Loose Park.
- Tyler Moss, Kanas City, Missouri, police officer recovering from traumatic brain injury
Going the Distance for Brain Injury Run, 8 a.m. Monday, May 30 at Loose Park, located at the corner of 51st Street and Wornall Road in Kansas City.
