Peoria officer stands for first time in 14 years since left paralyzed after being shot

Peoria officer stands for first time in 14 years since left paralyzed after being shot

FOX 10's Matt Rodewald reports.

PEORIA, Ariz. - A Peoria Police officer, who was shot in the line of duty and left paralyzed, was able to stand for the first time in 14 years thanks to a special wheelchair. 

It's been a long journey for Bill White. He was shot during a pursuit back in 2005 and paralyzed from the waist down.

White was a member of the honor guard at the Special Olympics on Friday. 

"I knew that I was going to be standing, I didn't want to make them nervous, I didn't want to be more nervous than I already was," said Bill White. 

He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow officers thanks to a mechanical wheelchair that stands upright.

"Once it was all done, the photographs were done, said goodbye to family and all the friends that were out there, got in the van to drive home that's when I, okay I did it," said White. "My little personal thing was done and I sent that message out to my team."

Peoria Police posted the moment online and it has since gone viral. 

While the milestone matters, there is a melancholy feeling that remains. 

"I miss being a police officer, I miss it more than anybody can ever imagine, so it's almost that I'm out there playing police officer, but I am, I get to put on that uniform again, I don't get to run and jump and I love putting on that uniform," says White. 

Friday night, he stood proud in that uniform for the first time in 14 years, and he'll never forget what it took to do it. 

"I got to be a part of it, it can never be taken back," said White. "Now that it worked and the team knows I can do it, maybe I can do it again."