Officer reunites with healthcare team who helped save his life

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Officer Kyle Lorenz was blocking lanes with his police car in February, working the scene of a hit-and-run on Stone near Glenn, when an oncoming driver did not slow down.

Lorenz says he noticed the car driving in his direction at the time. He says he tried to get out of his car, but the oncoming driver crashed into him, crushing his lower leg. Lorenz had to have his leg amputated as a result of the collision.

On Thursday, June 29 Lorenz got together with the healthcare team from Banner - University Medical Center who helped save his life.

"Everybody from the doctors and the nurses when I was in the hospital—just the best possible care I could ever ask for," said Lorenz at the reunion. "My family and all my friends and coworkers, the whole coming to visit me has been just super uplifting."

Over the course of his recovery, TPD chose to keep Lorenz's identity anonymous, but launched fundraising efforts to support him after members of the Tucson community asked how they could help.

"If anybody was going to bounce back from this type of an injury, he has the right mental attitude and ability to do that," Officer Mike Gamez, president of the Tucson Police Officers Association, told KGUN 9's Craig Smith back in February.

Now Lorenz is back at work, and has had his new prosthetic leg for about a month. At the surprise reunion Thursday, he said his recovery has been smooth thanks to a lot of physical therapy. Lorenz also credited a second form of therapy: Being back among coworkers.

"You know, I think when you're pretty close to perhaps losing your life you kind of have—at least I do—I was in the hospital and I just wanted everybody to come see me," Lorenz said.

"There was a lot of visitors coming in and, I just I don't really know. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but just extremely blessed to be alive and I think they got me through a big bulk in the first part of the recovery."

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