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Lookout Mountain, Tenn., fire and police Capt. Jim Purser will not lose his paycheck or health benefits after a farm accident took his sight and forced him to end his 29-year career.
The Board of Commissioners voted to extend Purser’s pay and health benefits through June 30, when Purser will officially retire.
“How can you beat a place like that?” said Purser. “I knew what kind of people they were, but I’m learning every day just how great they are and what they think of us. It’s like a family.”
Capt. Jim Purser’s coworkers congratulate him for his 29-year career with the town of Lookout Mountain, Tenn. From left are Lt. Kyle Day, Purser, fire and police Chief Randall Bowden, Sgt. Andy Hartman and engineer Tim Guinn.
Lookout Mountain residents have made personal contributions to Purser totaling $2,075 so far.
“I’m tickled to death to give Jim this check,” said fire and police Chief Randall Bowden. He said when Purser retires, the town will give him $2,900 more — $100 for each year of service.
Purser’s left eye is gone and he sees only fuzz now with his right eye. He said doctors are hopeful the right eye will recover in a year, at least enough for him to read.
Purser said his retirement has opened the door for him to pursue a career as a Methodist preacher. He has served as associate pastor at Mountain View United Methodist Church in Dayton, Tenn. since 1994 and he’ll take over as senior pastor there and at New Providence United Methodist Church in Sale Creek July 1.
Lookout Mountain coworkers bought Purser the Bible on CD to listen to until his sight returns.
When Purser visited Town Hall to turn in paperwork and collect his badge and other memoirs, his old lieutenant hat turned up, which he passed along to Lt. Kyle Day, who said he’d wear it with honor.
“He’s been here longer than anybody,” said Day. “He’s very professional, firm but fair, and I hate to see him go.”
THE ACCIDENT
Purser was clearing land March 5 on his Dayton Mountain farm. He said he looked back to plan a turn, and when he turned back a limb hit him square in the face.
“That’s the last sight I had,” Purser said. “Everything turned orange and it started dripping dark. I knew that was probably blood.”
Purser switched off the motor, a sign to his nephew back at the house that something was wrong, and started trying to call 911 on his cell phone.
“I said, ‘Lord, you’re going to have to help me because I can’t see and you know I can’t see,’” he said.
Purser said there is no cell phone service on that remote property, but he reached a Bledsoe 911 operator.
With crushed eye sockets, sinus cavity, nose and mouth, Purser tried to help her direct the ambulance to him, far off the road. He said he could hear the ambulance’s sirens and later heard his nephew calling for him.
“The last time he yelled I yelled back to him,” Purser said.
Purser knew all the men who found him and recognized their voices. One of the medics, a younger man he’d known since he was little, told him, “I’m going to be honest with you. It’s not good.”
“By then the orange had turned dark,” Purser said. “It had turned black.”
Purser was taken to Erlanger hospital for two weeks and spent another week in rehabilitation at HealthSouth. His face had to be completely reconstructed with 23 titanium plates and 50 or 60 screws and pins in his face and forehead.
Doctors told him that if the impact had been deeper his brain would be injured. If it had been higher he’d be decapitated. The force was 50 or 60 mph.
“I knew God was there but I never blamed him for what happened because I knew he was taking care of me,” Purser said.
Purser said he’s been a wonder to his surgeons.
“Everybody has been surprised at the healing that’s taken place,” he said, “and I just know it’s God.”
Purser’s wife of 41 years, Rhonda, takes care of him.
“In 41 years you get to know someone and I can tell how hard it’s been on her,” he said. “She’s been great through it all.”
Purser plans to continue clearing his farm and buy more land until it’s 42 acres in all. He said almost all his family lives on Dayton Mountain, and he’ll settle down there with a few cattle and farm animals to “just enjoy God’s good Earth.”
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