Former Gurnee officer named honorary captain at Bulls game
As a Gurnee police officer for more than 20 years, Jack LeMaster was no stranger to answering calls for help. But on June 12, 2005, he was the one receiving help after a car slammed head-on into his car in Fox Lake.
He remembers flashes of the crash: feeling the impact; watching the car fold up around him, pinning him in; seeing his legs crushed in the wreckage, the engine at his feet.
LeMaster was flown by Flight for Life to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where a team led by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matthew Jimenez worked on him for hours. Upon regaining consciousness after 30 days in a drug-induced coma, he learned of the extent of his injuries, including a broken neck, back and ribs and shattered right ankle, hips and pelvis.
He had experienced a post-accident heart attack, a traumatic brain injury and collapsed lungs. During one of dozens of operations, a surgeon removed three feet of his large intestine.
"I had countless surgeries while in the hospital. It was very scary," LeMaster, 51, said. "I was no longer this brave police officer. I felt like a helpless child again."
After two months at Lutheran General, LeMaster was transferred to a nursing facility and underwent grueling physical therapy at Advocate Condell Medical Center, where he relied on his physical therapists to help get him back on his feet and walking again.
Since LeMaster's car accident, he has undergone 26 reconstructive surgeries and still has a few surgeries to go. But 10 years after the accident that came so close to ending his life, he walks with no cane, has returned to law enforcement and serves as a patient advocate for Flight for Life and the Air Medical Industry.
"The beauty of being a physical therapist is witnessing truly heroic recoveries," said Scott Beckman, physical therapist at Advocate Condell Medical Center.
"Despite Jack's challenges, never once have I heard him complain about his life situation. He is a hero. It has been my honor to treat him and to know him. His accident may have claimed some of his body function, but it did not touch his indomitable spirit."
For his remarkable spirit and can-do attitude, LeMaster was named honorary captain for the Chicago Bulls' Nov. 30 game against the San Antonio Spurs. Advocate Health Care and the Bulls provided LeMaster and nine other patients and their families with the opportunity to take center court before the game, shake hands with Bulls players, present the basketball and high-five Benny the Bull.
Advocate is an official partner for the Chicago Bulls. The organizations are entering into their third consecutive year working together to make a difference for patients throughout Chicagoland.
This November, Advocate focused on raising awareness of men's health through its "Man Up" campaign, which included education outreach, giveaways and social media contests.
Both organizations remain committed to providing area residents philanthropic opportunities, including a "Pink Out" game dedicated to breast cancer survivors, Benny the Bull visits to pediatric patients, and the Embrace-A-Bulls program, where families with challenging medical circumstances are invited to attend a home game like a VIP.
Expanding on their partnership in June 2014, Advocate and the Bulls unveiled the Advocate Center serving as the players' practice facility.