Injured MBTA Officer Richard Donohue Thanks Community for Support

Richard "Dic" Donohue, the police officer shot in a firefight with the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, thanked the community for its support as he recovers from serious injuries.

Donohue, 33, a Winchester native and Woburn resident, a police officer with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, was shot in the leg and lost a massive amount of blood. 

Here is a letter Donohue wrote in a posting on the MBTA Transit Police blog:

I cannot begin to properly thank everyone involved in my recovery, as many fearless individuals stepped up and acted heroically that night.

To start I must thank my brothers from the Transit, Boston, Harvard, Watertown, Cambridge and State Police, as well as fire department personnel and the various other first responders, all of whom put their own lives on the line to save mine. In the midst of a firefight they dropped to the ground and assisted me when I was shot.

My family got through those first few days through the community's outpouring of prayers and endless support. I am told that when I arrived at the hospital I had almost no blood and no pulse, and the team of medical experts at Mount Auburn miraculously brought me back to life.

I am now awake, moving around, talking, and telling jokes (much to my wife's dismay). I am able to walk briefly through the use of a walker. My pain varies day to day and I still have a long road of rehab and recovery ahead, but I am optimistic I'll recover back to 100 percent.

The bullet will remain in my leg as it is not obstructing anything or causing any pain. However my wife has informed me that the bullet will ultimately cause her the most pain, as I will be using it to get out of things such as mowing the lawn, doing laundry, and painting the deck.

My wife and I send heartfelt condolences to the Collier family. Sean was one of my good friends out of the Academy and I arrived on scene soon after Sean's attack. There is not a single day we are not thinking or speaking of Sean. And we are certain Sean was watching over me and assisted in saving my life. He could not save himself that night, but Sean could save me.

We want to again thank everyone for their prayers and concerns. I, however, have very little memory of the week's events and am working with officials to piece everything together. When the full story of that evening is accounted for, it will be wilder than any movie you have ever seen. And it will contain more heroes.

My wife and I understand the news value of what has occurred, but we ask you to give us the time and space we need during my recovery.
 
Thank you for your understanding.