Nov. 20, 2016, is a day that St. Louis Police Sgt. Tom Lake can’t escape no matter how hard he tries, but the veteran law enforcement officer is determined to not let it define him or his future.
“What happened to me is a horrible thing, but it’s also a time to remember how good life can be. And I’ve embraced that beyond all belief,” Lake said.
On the evening of that particular day, Lake was working an overtime shift near Hampton and Pernod Avenues.
It’s an area he knows particularly well, since he’s a staple of the second patrol district and a longtime resident of south city.
Lake was parked in traffic alone inside his marked SUV when St. Louis police say George Bush III, 19, ambushed him with gunfire from another vehicle.
Lake was struck twice in the face, but doesn’t hold any resentment about the events that could have easily ended his life.
He remains surprisingly upbeat and optimistic.
“Am I mad about it? Absolutely not, because God has given me the opportunity to push forward. And that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
But pushing forward won’t come easy for the beloved husband and father.
Lake still faces a number of health challenges.
“Even though I look really good on the outside, the inside still has some issues we are working through,” he said.
For instance, he still has at least one of the bullets and several fragments lodged in his head.
“The bullet that was lodged behind my nose, I was able to swallow that. Most people don’t know that,” he said.
But the biggest hurdle facing the 46-year-old? His teeth.
“Most people don’t see it, but this (his upper lip area) is numb probably forever. So I have this Elvis snare as I like to tell everybody,” he said with a laugh.
Lake said he is looking at the possibility of future surgeries and implants.
And then there’s the injuries that are less physical and more mental. Lake said the shootings still haunt him all the time.
“I can visualize it every day with my eyes open. What’s hard for me to get around is all the nightmares, the waking up, the anxiety. It’s something that will forever change me,” he said.
And because he cannot work for the foreseeable future, the injuries are sure to take a financial toll. Lake is married with three young kids.
That’s why his friends, family and co-workers came together Thursday night at Bartolino’s Osteria for a happy hour fundraiser in his honor. All proceeds are going to the family.
“Hopefully we can make a profit and take the burden off,” said Corby Campbell, a former officer who patrolled the streets with Lake and helped organize the streets. “Policeman have this bond most people don’t understand.”
Several hundred people turned out, just to give back to a man who says he still has so much more to give.
Lake said, “I love being a police officer. It’s the best job in the world. I want to continue to make a difference in this community every day.”
But whether we see him in a uniform again remains to be seen.
Lake said his kids are having a hard time with the shooting. He said he doesn’t know if he wants to risk putting them in this position again.
But he does know he’s determined to be what he calls the best version of himself.
“Whether I lose all my teeth or they put a bag over my head, I’m still going to be the same guy. And that’s really important for me,” he said.
