A Prince George's County police officer who once suffered severe injuries in a crash that killed his partner was able to save a life earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Officer Michael Risher used a small trauma kit to save a 14-year-old boy who had been stabbed multiple times and was bleeding to death on the steps of a Beltsville apartment complex.
While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, Officer Risher went to work with the trauma kit he was trained on a year ago.
"I could tell his injuries were very severe by the amount of blood that was already on his clothes and around him," Risher said.
This was the second time Risher’s kit helped him to save a life, and it is deeply personal for him because of memories of when his own life flashed before his eyes.
"I definitely do know and exactly feel what it’s like to be on the receiving end of having injuries so great that you need somebody’s help because you can’t do it yourself," he said.
In 2012, Risher was in the passenger seat when his police cruiser flipped over and crashed on the Beltway, severely injuring Risher and killing his then partner, Adrian Morris.
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The two were chasing suspects who stole a woman’s purse at a gas station.
The experience makes helping others in need that much more important to him now.
"It’s hard to explain the emotions that you feel for that day in particular. But the feeling for saving the two lives – that’s a good feeling."
