Former Lombard cop honored for sacrifice
It was nearly five years ago that an alcoholic on a binge opened fire on officer Jerry O'Meara in Lombard, cutting short his boyhood dream of a career in law enforcement.
O'Meara survived the gunshot wound, but saw the end of his 13-year career due to permanent nerve and muscle damage to his left arm and shoulder.
His sacrifice, though, did not go unnoticed. Nor has it diminished with time.
O'Meara recently received the Law Enforcement Purple Heart Award.
The Florida-based American Police Hall of Fame and American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens bestows the national honor on those police officers who are seriously injured in the line of duty.
"It's nice to still be remembered and recognized," said O'Meara, who recalls that fateful day all too well. "It'll never leave me. It crosses my mind every day."
The recognition comes as the nation this week celebrates slain police officers. In DuPage County, 15 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice since 1918.
Unlike them, O'Meara lived to tell his story.
He now lives in southeast Georgia and is working toward being a full-time Federal Law Enforcement Training Center instructor. O'Meara also wants to share his near-fatal experience with other officers to help prepare them for the emotional, physical, psychological and legal turmoil that follows being injured.
"I planned to be a police officer for my entire career," O'Meara said. "At least this way, I still can pass along my knowledge to help the next generation."
The violence unfolded Sept. 2, 2004, during what seemed like a routine call.
Police tracked Paul J. Grygo to his condo at 2201 S. Grace St. in Lombard after a Jewel store manager copied the license plate number of a suspect who fled with an $8 plastic bottle of vodka.
It was Lt. Jim Glennon who first saw the weapon and screamed, "Gun!" He and O'Meara took off in one direction down the long, narrow hallway. The third officer, Joseph Statkus, who was on the other side of Grygo's door, opposite his colleagues, retreated to a nearby condo, positioned himself behind a partially opened door and returned fire.
Grygo shot five bullets from his .38-caliber revolver, which is when O'Meara was hit. Grygo retreated to his bedroom to reload. He again displayed the weapon but dropped it without shooting as Statkus fired back. Grygo, uninjured, surrendered minutes later.
Grygo, 60, was sentenced last summer to 65 years in prison.
Besides the national recognition, O'Meara also has received several local and county valor awards. His former boss, Lombard Police Chief Ray Byrne, said the accolades are well deserved.
"We do a good job at least once a year honoring police officers who died in the line of duty," Byrne said. "But, for those officers are injured and sometimes lose their careers, we don't recognize them once they're gone (from a department). So, this is a nice award."