Former Florissant Officer Surgery Scheduled for Bullet Removal

Former Florissant police officer Mike Vernon will undergo surgery next week to remove a bullet from his spine, according to a KMOX report.

Vernon was shot in the line of duty three times, with one bullet entering his spine, last year. Since that time, he has been paralyzed from the waist down.

Doctors told him that removing the bullet would be high-risk, but Vernon found a surgeon who would be willing to remove it, according to the report. Following the surgery, Vernon will go to Panama for stem cell therapy.

In an earlier interview with Patch, Vernon said as grateful as he and his wife were for the donations and fundraisers, there was one thing he wanted more.

“I’d give it all back if I could walk again,” he said.