Nearly a year after Atlanta police Officer Max Brewer was hit by an ATV driver in the early days of the city’s racial justice protests, he has returned to light-duty work with his unit.
The journey back has been long and painful — and it’s still not over. Brewer described the difficult recovery process, which has included three surgeries and counting, as “a roller coaster” during a news conference Friday.
“It’s up and down,” he said, describing the mental toll of his ongoing recovery. “That’s one of the reasons I’m going to a psychiatrist and everything. I have no control over it and I can’t stand it.”
Despite his frustration with his rehab, he is dead-set on getting back in the saddle, he said. With the continued support of his unit, he believes he will be back on his motorcycle sooner rather than later.
“This is the motors unit,” Brewer said of the uniformed squad surrounding him. “The elite motors unit — which I’m a part of,” he emphasized.
Brewer was injured in late May 2020, during the second night of protests that erupted nationwide following the murder of George Floyd by a former Minneapolis police officer. Members of the motors unit, along with many other Atlanta police officers and the Georgia National Guard, were deployed to help control the protests.
As Brewer stood directing traffic, a man riding an ATV was driving back and forth through the intersection of Marietta and Spring streets. The ATV hit Brewer “at a high rate of speed,” shattering both of his legs, among other injuries.
The man driving the ATV, Avery Goggans, 42, of Stone Mountain, was arrested and charged with DUI, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, possession of marijuana and other traffic offenses, police said. Goggans remained in the Fulton County Jail for nearly six months before he was released on bond, jail records show.
According to Brewer, the tight-knit motors unit and the broader community have provided a tremendous amount of support during the past year. A GoFundMe page set up by another Atlanta police officer raised more than $200,000 for Brewer, and his colleagues and those in his community have continuously stepped in to provide meals and other assistance.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
An imposing man with a thick beard and deep voice, Brewer is refreshingly open about the mental struggle that accompanies such a recovery, and he becomes emotional when discussing his squad.
“I’m blessed,” Brewer said. “I think a lot of it had to do with all the prayers and people wishing me well. That’s what kept me basically pushing forward.”
Sgt. Janice Sturdivant, described by other officers as a mother figure in the motors unit, echoed Brewer’s comments about the support of the group.
“We deal with tragedies every week,” Sturdivant said. “But ones such as Max — it just took the entire department by surprise.
“However, this is the group that, if something happens, you want them to be around.”
After he was hit, Brewer spent more than a month in the hospital. In addition to his shattered legs, he suffered a head injury after being thrown into the air by the impact.
Brewer said he has had three surgeries so far, with a fourth planned soon. He is also taking a long list of medications, including treatment for nerve damage in his legs.
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Brewer’s recovery suffered at least one major setback when the material inserted into his legs during his initial surgery did not properly integrate with his bones.
“So they had to take all that equipment out and redo it,” he said. “So they did the left leg, and the right one is coming up (later) this month.”
Despite the prospect of another surgery and more recovery, Brewer remains determined to return to the field and to his motorcycle. He’s been a member of the motors unit for more than 10 years.
“It’s all I know,” he said.
The unit’s supervising officer, Lt. Tommy Atzert, said he is confident Brewer will return to full active duty.
“He’s a huge fighter,” Atzert said, describing how he and Brewer kept in close contact during the months the injured officer was not able to work. “I’m sure in his mind, he’s thinking, ‘Am I going to get to ride again? Am I going to get to come back to work?’ But I will tell you, without a doubt, 100%, Max will be back at work ... With his determination, his strength, his willpower, he’s going to be back.”
Sturdivant described Brewer’s determination, or stubbornness, as a double-edged sword.
“Max is a bit of a hard-head,” Sturdivant said. “If the doctor says, ‘You need to stay in the bed,’ he wants to get in his wheelchair and smoke a cigar.”
Credit: Henri Hollis
Credit: Henri Hollis
Brewer, a father of four and a grandfather, said he was determined to continue moving forward and keep improving as he set an example for his family.
“We don’t quit. We’re not a family of quitters,” Brewer said. “We’re going to fight. We’re fighters.”
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