After being shot in the leg, Officer Todd Mona with the East Hartford police department pushes through the pain during physical therapy.
“There is a lot of damage from where the bullet went in and how the bone flew out so there is a lot of trauma that went through my leg,” said Officer Mona.
His partner of 2 1/2 years, a German shepard named Primo, was also injured. The K-9 has worked alongside Officer Mona patrolling the streets. Back in January, while responding to a domestic disturbance call, Mona was shot. The dog was stabbed, yet somehow managed to survive.
And so, the two were separated. Primo went to a vet clinic to recuperate. Mona wound up in New Britain’s Hospital for Special Care.
“When he came into us he was pretty much in a lot of pain. He couldn't really do any movement, get in and out of bed, he couldn't take care of himself so he was pretty dependent but the pain was a limiting factor,” said Officer Mona's therapist Robyn Cop.
Officer Mona was making progress but once his buddy Primo came along, that made all the difference.
“Seeing the dog and having him there every time just reminded me that there is a life outside these walls in the hospital and you got to get better to get back out there,” said Officer Mona.
The 28-year-old officer is determined to regain his strength. He still has 15 bullet fragments embedded in his thigh. An iron rod was used to repair his fractured femur. But his attitude remains incredibly positive which in turn rubbed off on his partner.
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“As soon as I jingle the car keys he's ready to go. He knows that we are coming to the hospital every day he know the routine. He knows when we get off the exit for the hospital then he starts barking," said Officer Mona.
Every visit is one step closer to getting back to work.
“The relationship that I saw between him and his dog touched me more than anything I've seen here in 16 years,” said Cop.
The plan is for both Officer Mona and Primo to go back to regular duty at the end of the year. Before that, they'll both do some additional training at the state police K-9 unit.
