What You Need to Know
Ronald Waller was shot in the line of duty on June 2
He’s undergone more than 10 surgeries since being shot
On Saturday, he received a $10,000 check to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses from a nonprofit organization called Running 4 Heroes
There is no timetable for how long his rehab and therapy will take
Sgt. Ronald Waller was shot on June 2 while serving an eviction notice at the River Birch Apartments off of Old Wake Forest Road.
His boss, Sheriff Gerald Baker, said everyone has learned a lot from that day.
“It could have been a lot worse. There is no job inside our office that is not dangerous. On June 2, it became quite clear that even servicing civil processing is more dangerous than anything else we do,” Baker said.
A family friend said Waller, who has been with the sheriff’s office for more than 20 years, spent a month in the hospital undergoing more than 10 surgeries from his injuries.
While he’s on the road to recovery, the therapy and rehabilitation to walk again isn’t free.
On Saturday, Waller was presented a check for $10,000 outside the Ridge Park Community Center by the creator of Running 4 Heroes, 11-year-old Zechariah Cartledge. Cartledge said the nonprofit organization is designed to show appreciation for first responders, while raising money and awareness for those of fallen or injured in the line of duty.
The sheriff said the gesture couldn’t happen to a better guy.
“Never one day — even the day he was shot — his spirit and his mentality, his attitude about what we do, never changed and never wavered,” Baker said.
Baker said to see a smile on Waller’s face through all the ups and downs is amazing.
“He’s doing well, and he is a veteran of this office. We check on him, and we have been there with him from the time that this happened. That’s the way that it is. To receive an award like this, we are grateful,” Baker said.
Waller faces a long road of recovery before he can fully walk again. There is no current timetable for how long the rehab process for him will take.