A Grapevine police officer who made it to the other side of adversity has found a way to give back by helping a fellow officer and his wife through a painful diagnosis.
R.J. Hudson's vantage point for much of his career as a Grapevine police officer has been from behind the windshield of a motorcycle. It’s a view he wasn't sure he'd ever see again after a brush with death in 2017 while on duty.
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WATCH HERE“I've never worked a crash with someone with the severity of injuries that I had that lived to tell about it,” Hudson said.
He has since recovered and is back on full duty with a renewed sense of purpose.
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SIGN UP Ten years ago he met Crystal Scott and her husband, Chris, a fellow motorcycle officer, at a law enforcement event much like the Spring Classic Motorcycle Rodeo happening this week in Grand Prairie.
Now, it is Crystal who could use community support. Her battle with lupus and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome left her wheelchair-bound.
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She's in need of a van compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to live her life functionally as a wife and mother of five. Hudson had the idea to raise money through a GoFundMe page and spread the word at this year's motorcycle rodeo.
“It's very common to hear 'hey, let me know if you need anything.' and this is that,” he said.
Wheelchair vans can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The hope is that fellow motorcycle officers and the community at large will show up, the way they did for him.
“It hits you in the heart strings, as it should when they're a true friend,” Hudson said. “I definitely love the family and want to do everything I can to help them out.”
Crystal's genetic condition is known to greatly diminish life expectancy. But Hudson said it's faith that allows him to envision her in the van she desperately needs, defying the odds.
ONLINE: For more information about the Crystal Scott’s condition and Officer Hudson’s efforts, visit Fundraiser by RJ. Hudson : #HelpCrystal (gofundme.com)
