Forced to retire following stroke, former Chandler Police officer finds new way to give back

CHANDLER, Ariz. - After suffering a brain injury, a Chandler Police lieutenant was forced to retire. Now, Gary Minor has found a new way to give back.

"I'm still moving forward, and that's the only thing you can do," said Minor.

Minor suffered a stroke one year ago, and after a lengthy hospital stay and weeks of therapy, things are starting to get back to normal. Unfortunately, one thing that will never be back to normal is his professional life.

Minor was a police officer for 29 years, and he spent 22 of those with Chandler Police. He was a lieutenant with the Criminal Investigation Section. After the stroke, Minor knew it was time to move on.

"When you do this job all the time, you have to be on your 'A-game', and I didn't have it anymore," said Minor. "I know I couldn't do it anymore." 

For Minor, the sudden and major life change was a difficult transition.

"When police officers retire and move on, they have this time to prepare, mentally, to leave into civilian life," said Minor. "I didn't have that because I was still working. I was going to work for another 10 years."

Minor loved working with the community and keeping it safe, and he's discovered a way to fill that void through volunteering. He spends four hours a week at Banner Baywood talking to other stroke patients, connecting with others as he once did.

"As myself, as a patient and someone else as a patient, and I can just say, 'hey I've been there. We've had the same moments too kind of thing. Similar, but different,'" said Minor.

Minor also says talking with other patients helps him with his speech therapy.