Deputy Mikhail Gerba

After a columnist in the Oregonian posted a story about Deputy Gerba and the Lukus Glenn shooting (remember... he is the deputy who helped my family this summer), my mom wrote a letter to the editor explaining our family's story. The thing is, it was a similar situation, and events like this can destroy a police officer's career because of bad publicity and self-doubt.
The editor called my mom to ask if she could publish the story, and I think it is going to run in tomorrow's paper, so look for it.
My dad also wrote a letter to Mikhail Gerba, thanking him for the help he gave my family, and offering to do whatever he could to help him (be it releasing a public statement, testifying in a trial, whatever). He also mentioned he was praying for him. Gerba routed the letter to the rest of the Washington County Police Department for encouragement, and the sheriff called my dad yesterday to thank him for his prayers and for offering to help.
What I just realized today (this information brought me to tears) was that this man was supposed to go on vacation the next day after the night they found my brother. Because of an error on the part of the Tillamook PD, my brother was checked into the hospital in Tillamook voluntarily (which means he could check himself out at any time). The deputy offered to postpone his vacation to drive to Tillamook himself to pick up my brother and safely transport him to a hospital in Portland, where he could be checked in by the officer so that he would be incapable of checking himself out until he was declared healthy by trial. This turned out not to be necessary, but it was such a selfless offer that I can't help but be touched.

I don't know why I am sharing all of this. It is kind of emotional to talk about. But I feel like since he did so much for us, my family should really return the favor by doing as much as possible to help him.