Nearly six months after he was struck by lightning, Department of Public Safety officer Stanley Prue said he still has a long way to go before he can return to his job.

As much as he wants to be back in uniform, Prue said he needs to concentrate on his recovery.

“The reality is I need to refocus on myself, rather than worrying about going to work,” he said. “It’s in my sight, but right now, my focus is recovery.”

On Sept. 1, Prue and DPS senior detective Ed Weber were parked outside of the Skytop Office on South Campus. When Prue stepped outside of his patrol car, he was struck by lightning.

In addition to suffering from brain injuries, Prue also lost his eyesight and hearing in his left ear. He cannot smell or taste and he has paralysis throughout his body. He also has trouble with movement, including not being able to hold onto objects, he added. He is still working in therapy.

Because of nerve damage, Prue said his left leg isn’t functioning, so he depends on a cane to get around. He said he’s getting around better than expected, but he has a long road ahead of him.

Prue spent two weeks in the hospital, where he said he spent the second week in physical therapy. He has had help with his memory and completing everyday tasks that he says people take for granted.

He was in physical therapy until Nov., when Prue said the hospital realized that there was little that they could do to help him. He said he still goes in for sessions a couple of times every week and the specialists assign him “homework” to do at home.

“The reality of it is that the doctors and the therapists are there for me and they’re trying to do the best they can,” Prue said. “The unfortunate aspect is that they don’t have much experience when people get struck by lighting ‘cause usually you die.”

The physical damage has taken a toll him, but Prue said the most difficult part about the incident is how it has hurt him mentally.

He said he had a lot of support from co-workers and friends in the beginning, but there’s not as much as there was before.

“It’s a fair statement to say,” Prue said. “And not to be mean about it, because the reality of it is people have their own lives and their own families and careers and their own issues, too.”

But he still has a support network, including a couple of officers that Prue said have been at his side from the beginning. In addition to his family and his friends from other law enforcement agencies, Prue said Sergeant James McLellan has been one of the most supportive people in his recovery. McLellan organized a fundraiser for Prue back in October. Prue said McLellan talks to him a couple of times a week.

“Overall, James McLellan is a fantastic, great guy, great supporter,” Prue said. “He’s there for me mentally, he’s there for me emotionally, he’s there for me financially. He’s just a fantastic guy.”

At this time, Prue is trying to remain realistic about the timeline of his recovery and is unsure when he will be able to return to his job.

“I have a long way to go,” he said. “Longer than I ever thought.”

Published on February 17, 2014 at 1:34 am

Contact Ellen: ekmeyers@syr.edu | @ellenkmeyers