Police Share “A True Thanksgiving Story”
Posted/updated on: November 26, 2015 at 4:49 pm
TYLER — Tyler police are getting into the spirit of the holiday season with a special thank-you. According to a news release, on October 24, motorcycle officer Ryan Gummer went home to Lafayette, Louisiana, to visit his mother in the hospital. While visiting her he became ill and was admitted into the hospital for eight days due to pancreatitis. Due to the poor health of his parents, Ryan was alone and without the help of his brothers and sisters in blue from Tyler. Fellow motorcycle officer Bill Steinmiller realized that Ryan was not going to be able drive back to Tyler on his own when he was released from the hospital on November 2. Steinmiller contacted Randa Conner with Tyler Jet Center and explained the circumstances surrounding his co-worker.
Randa immediately started calling her contacts to fly Steinmiller down to Lafayette. On November 5, Randa called Steinmiller and advised that she had a pilot and a plane to take him to Lafayette that afternoon. He went to the Tyler Jet Center that afternoon and met pilot Herb Sharp. Sharp said that Charles Jaggers owned the airplane and that he’d donated the plane to Herb to fly Steinmiller down to pick up his fellow officer, and Tyler Jet was going to pay the fuel cost for the airplane.
The Lafayette Sheriff’s Office also met Steinmiller at the airport and escorted him to Gummer’s parents’ home. The original plan was to fly Gummer home, with Steinmiller driving his vehicle back. Gummer was not able to fly, so they returned to Tyler by vehicle, with Steinmiller at the wheel. Gummer’s parents expressed their gratitude for everyone’s generosity in helping Ryan get through a very difficult time.
On Friday November 20, Gummer, Steinmiller, and other officers went to the Tyler Jet Center and presented tokens of the police department’s appreciation to Conner, Sharp, and Jaggers. According to the news release, “This is the true meaning of ‘We Got Your Back’ for one of our own.”
(Pictured, left to right: Officer Bill Steinmiller, Randa Conner, Officer Ryan Gummer, Herb Sharp.)
