WASHINGTON, Mo. — After months of rehab, Hermann police officer Adam Sullentrup is finally home.
A sea of flashing lights isn’t usually a good thing, but on a Tuesday night in Washington, Missouri, it is.
“Truly they’re our heroes. All the first responders. We can't thank them enough for their service,” a Sullentrup family friend, Donna Jacquin, said.
It’s a beacon of hope for the community, seeing first responders escort the Sullentrup family home.
“This is a hero's welcome procession, which is much better than a funeral procession. So hopefully, it will bring some joy and comfort to the family and to Adam himself,” Washington Police Assistant Chief Darryl Balleydier said.
A big crowd of friends and even strangers lined Highway 100 for the procession.
“We got here and now seeing more and more vehicles pull in. This is very good for the community,” another family friend, Dale Jacquin, said.
Sullentrup was shot in March while responding to a call at Casey's gas station in Hermann with Detective Sgt. Mason Griffith.
Sullentrup was seriously injured, landing him in months of rehab in Colorado. Griffith unfortunately didn’t survive his injuries.
“We've been following his progress on Facebook because we're family friends. We've been praying for him and his family because they've had to overcome a lot,” Jacquin said.
Several friends said the community support means everything to the Sullentrup family.
“I've lived here for most of my life, roughly 22 years. I've seen a lot of people that like to help other people,” Viktorea Dombek said.
The Washington community said they couldn’t ask for a better gift for the holidays.
“That's what Thanksgiving is all about, family and friends and thanking God for the special gift of life for him,” Jacquin said.