Tavon Moore, a state trooper injured in a motorcycle crash earlier this month, has made strides in his recovery but still has a “long road ahead of him,” according to the commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
Commissioner Sean Tindell said Tuesday that Moore is alert and continues to receive specialized care. However, the 28-year-old trooper cannot move any part of his lower body following the near life-ending wreck on Aug. 2.
“He’s got a long road ahead of him. He’s battling right now and trying to get things right,” Tindell said on Mornings with Richard Cross. “Right now, he has lost movement in his lower extremities, so rehab is going to be important to see if he can get any of that back.”
Moore was traveling on his patrol motorcycle near the exit ramp at the intersection of Highway 67 and Highway 605 in Harrison County when he lost control and veered off the road near a ditch.
The wreck happened less than five miles away from the home of Tindell, who said it was “one of those calls you hate to get.”
Shortly after Tindell responded to the scene and then met Moore and his family at Gulfport Memorial Hospital, the trooper was transported to University Medical Center in New Orleans for further treatment. He’s been there since, but Tindell believes the father of three will keep fighting to make a full recovery.
“He’s battling, [and] he’s going to get there,” Tindell said. “He’s a trooper both on the inside and out. He’s going to be okay, but it’s just going to take some time.”
In the meantime, Moore’s hometown of Wiggins and others across the entire state of Mississippi have joined forces to raise over $10,000 through a GoFundMe to help with basic-life, travel, childcare, and medical costs for Moore and his family.
Tindell and his team are also working with Moore’s wife, Georgie, and his parents to make sure they have what they need during the difficult time. He said the Department of Public Safety will soon begin accepting donations through its Public Safety Foundation.
“We do have a Public Safety Foundation that we’re going to put out requests,” he said. “If anyone would like to donate to the family, they can do that, and we can make sure that we help cover their expenses when they’re away from work and staying with him.”
Even if people can’t donate, Tindell asks they use Moore’s situation to remember the sacrifice law enforcement and other first responders make on a daily basis.
“It’s just tragic, and it shows you what our first responders do each and every day. They put themselves out on the line trying to make our communities safer, and all too often, aren’t rewarded enough for what they do,” he concluded.
