A group of North Texans is raising money for a Dallas police officer injured while fighting the war in Iraq. Andrew Litz suffers from so many ailments, he needs to take more time off work to recover. So friends put on a car wash Saturday in Richardson to collect donations for his family.
While drivers got a clean car, the Litz family got a helping hand. Dallas police officer and martial arts instructor Wes Melton called on co-workers to wash cars for donations to fellow officer Litz.
"I'm in awe. I'm very humbled, very grateful. The words 'thank you' don't do it justice," said Litz.
Before he joined the police force, the 30-year-old Marine, husband, and father of two was serving his third tour in Iraq, when he was hit by a roadside bomb.
"It breaks my heart. I have a little girl and I can just imagine the way they look up at their daddy, and one day Daddy's fine and the next day Daddy can't do the same thing," said Melton.
Although Litz survived the attack that killed two others, doctors say he suffered permanent brain damage and a host of other problems, from joint pain to migraines that have forced him to take more time off work than he can afford. He gets dizzy, so he walks with a cane.
"I don't know if I have the words to describe that. It makes me upset," said Litz. "I want to be able to live a healthy life day to day, be able to spend and enjoy my life with my wife and my kids 'cause that's one of the reasons why I fought for."
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Litz doesn't know how much longer he'll be able to serve as a police officer. His condition has gotten worse. All he can do now is keep getting treatment and lean on his family and friends.
