Jason Schechterle
Benefitting 100 Club of Arizona
Jason Schechterle, was a happily married father of two serving others as a Phoenix police officer when his worst nightmare happened. His patrol car was hit by a speeding cab and burst into flames, causing 3rd and 4th degree burns over 43% of his body. But after 56 surgeries, this miracle survivor fought his way back to a life that he now wouldn’t trade with anyone in the world.
In this episode, You’ll learn:
How to recognize a career calling
The power of learning gratitude from a young age
The small miracles that occurred the day of the accident that saved his life
Why not knowing the extent of his injuries at first was a good thing
The importance of going through all of the emotions you are capable of
The power of humor in overcoming tragedy
How to focus not on what you’ve lost, but what you’ve gained
Wise Words
J: My patrol car was struck from behind by a taxi cab. The driver was suffering an epileptic seizure at the time and was just continuing to build up speed and build up speed until he eventually had to hit something, and that something was me. According to the investigation, he was doing 115 miles an hour when he ran into me. This is a 40 mile an hour downtown city street, so it’s hard to even fathom that speed, that impact.
K: Explain the impact on your body from the accident and the fire that day.
J: The injuries were burns to 43% of my body. My neck, head, and face being the worst. They were fourth degree, which is something I had never heard of. I had thought third degree were the worst burns you could have. Fourth degree means past layers of muscle into the bone. My shoulders and my hands were third degree, and the tops of my thighs.
J: I can’t remember if I coughed or if I muttered a word, but my wife was in the room with me. I just still to this day can’t imagine what she went through for those two and a half months as a wife, as a mom, all the responsibilities. But I’ll never forget, her voice was so calm and strong, even though she hadn’t talked to me in so long. She started to tell me what had happened. That’s when the, I hate to say the nightmare began because that’s such a dramatic way that’s often used, but I guess it’s the truth.
J: But not being able to see myself, not being able to feel the pain, I didn’t understand just how severe these burns were, how disfigured I was. My entire appearance was gone, I had no idea.
J: You can’t be told something tragic or life-changing and just say, “Okay. Let’s move on.” I had to feel what I felt. I cried every day. I yelled and cussed at people who even dared walk into my room. There were so many days I was just completely quiet and didn’t want to talk, trying to digest and process what had happened. So, yes, I went through all the emotions that we’re capable of feeling, for sure.
J: They were hesitant, I think, to tell me too much because it was so bad what they were looking at, and they knew my life was, at the time, over. Even though I was alive, life as I knew it was over.
J: Who am I to just give up and quit and focus on what I’ve lost? I need to focus on what I’ve gained. What I’ve gained is a new chapter of life. I survived something that nobody survives.
J: Yes, people stare at me. My appearance is not so easy every day. But when people stare at me, usually it’s with kindness and compassion and somebody will smile, but I can only imagine what they’re thinking when I’m sitting in an airport restaurant eating alone. Probably the compassion turns into feeling sorry. I always want to say to them, “You have no idea. I have the most beautiful life you could imagine. I wouldn’t trade places with anybody in this world.”
J: It’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to let people fight for you when you can’t fight for yourself.
J: “Sometimes the most beautiful inspirational changes will disguise themselves as utter devastation. Be patient.”
J: The most important lesson is to recognize that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.
J: Let your human spirit soar, because it will, and it will take you right where you need to go and it’s only positive places.
LINKS
Website: www.burningshield.com
Instagram: @schechterle_jas
Twitter: @schechterle_jas
Charity Donation: 100 Club of Arizona