A quiet Hero
Hero: Officer Matthew O'Hal
By: Christine Allen, Bayville, NY
Officer Matthew O'Hal has been a Police Officer for the Greensboro, NC police Department since 1997. He has been a Canine Officer for the last 7 yrs. of that. He is quiet and unassuming, but possesses an unremarkable sense of knowing how and when to act. His remarkable career is reflective by the number of awards he has received. This is a small example:
| -1999 |
Rookie Police Officer of the Year |
| -2000 |
Outstanding Young Police Officer of the Year |
| -2001 |
Life Saving Medal |
| -2005 |
Crime stoppers Police Officer of the Year |
| -2009 |
Greensboro Police Department Medal Of Honor |
| |
Greensboro Police Department Purple Heart |
| |
Greensboro Police Officer’s Association Medal of Valor |
The most recent of these awards were given to him as a result of a horrific crime in which he was hit by a perpetrator’s vehicle and shot at point blank range twice. He has spent the last year recovering from his injuries and was just recently allowed to return to his physically and mentally demanding job. Although he will spend the rest of his life managing his pain he looks forward to protecting and helping his community every day.
Aside from his professional achievements, Matthew is very involved with his church and several youth groups. He commits constant acts of kindness without thinking of consequences that reverberate through his community. He is an incredible individual who is oblivious to the power of his everyday acts of kindness. Although he will deny this fact, he is a true hero. |
