By C1 Staff
WOOLWICH TWP. — A nonprofit organization called Officer Down aims to help law enforcement officers and their families when they become severely injured or ill.
One such officer was Sam Maccarone, who had his right arm amputated after surviving a car accident while transporting prisoners, according to NJ.com.
“It was such a horrific time in our life and just to know someone cared was great,” Nancy Maccarone said.
The accident forced Maccarone from his corrections officer position, and Nancy took five months off of work to care for her husband. Officer Down added the family to its list of recipients in 2010 to ensure not only monetary assistance, but a support system as well.
“In a lot of cases whether it’s something like someone being killed in the line of duty or an illness, the first month or two the police department or community really rallies around the people,” Len Werner, Officer Down’s chairman, told NJ.com. “But with this, they become part of our Officer Down family.”
Officer Down holds three to five events each year from a motorcycle run to a fundraising gala, and the money raised at each is split between the year’s recipients.
“It gave us a little relief when we really needed it,” Sam Maccarone said.