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Md. LEO survives traumatic brain injury, hopes to return to duty

Medics weren’t sure Trooper Graham King would even make it to the hospital. Now, he’s looking at a full recovery

trooper graham king recovery

University of Maryland Medical Center

By Suzie Ziegler

FRUITLAND, Md. — A deadly crash that injured two off-duty troopers has an optimistic ending, thanks to hard-working medical staff and one trooper’s even harder head.

When Trooper Graham King, 23, was pulled from the wreck in May 2020, medics didn’t think he’d make it to the hospital. King’s brother and a trooper flight paramedic, Sgt. Jonathan King, was part of the crew that airlifted him.

“We did everything we could to keep him stable, keep all his vital signs stable and deliver him to Dr. Scalea,” Sgt. King said in a release from the University of Maryland Medical Center.

“He was neurologically impaired. He was really obviously quite sick,” said Dr. Thomas Scalea, who worked on King’s recovery.

Despite having suffered a traumatic brain injury, King is thriving, according to a video posted by University of Maryland medical staff.

“Now I’m at physical therapy two times a week, and I work out every day,” King said.

The trooper is expected to make a full recovery and return to full duty as a Maryland State Police trooper, according to the hospital. Staff say King has also enrolled in a local EMT program, with an eye to become a flight paramedic.

The University of Maryland put together a video of King’s ordeal and recovery. See his story below:

Trooper Ashley Thoren was also injured in the crash but was able to recover at home, according to Maryland State Police. The driver of the second car involved in the crash died at the hospital, police said. Two occupants of a third car didn’t report any injuries.

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