By Sarah Roebuck
Police1
NEW HARMONY, Ind. — A deputy who was shot in the head is making an extraordinary recovery.
In 2021, Posey County Deputy Bryan Hicks nearly died when he was shot while responding to a welfare check.
Leroy’s Tavern in Evansville hosted an event to celebrate Hicks’ recovery on the anniversary of the shooting, WEHT reports.
“Just celebrating his accomplishments. I mean, two years ago right now, he was in a coma. We didn’t know if he’d survive or what. Now, he’s driving and working out ... and just crushing it,” his wife, Tammy Hicks, told 44News.
Posey County Deputy Kendel Tieken, the officer who rescued Hicks following the shooting, agreed with Hicks’ family that his recovery is nothing less than miraculous.
“It’s an absolute miracle. God works in mysterious ways. It’s surreal that it happened, but it was one of those instances where we experienced it. We got a job to do. You saw what happens; you just do your job. I just went in. I didn’t think about my wellbeing. All I could think about was Bryan on the ground …and he needs our help,” Tieken told WEHT.
Hicks has now regained the ability to drive and workout at the gym independently — significant strides toward autonomy, which initially seemed unimaginable.
Every day, Hicks demonstrates further progress and aspires to eventually rejoin the Posey County Sheriff’s Department.