Help out Mount Vernon police officer Mike McClaughry

As of Wednesday evening, more than $51,700 has been donated to the family of Mount Vernon Police Officer Mike McClaughry who was shot and nearly killed last month.

McClaughry’s daughter, April, told KIRO Radio’s Ron and Don that the family is trying to raise money to help offset the hospital bills and other costs. You can donate to their GoFundMe page here.

Related: Officer McClaughry hailed as community leader in Mount Vernon

“He’s conscious, but he’s not,” April said. “It’s weird to describe. He’s showing more signs of acknowledgement.”

“He has been acknowledging, shaking his head … it’s not consistent,” she said. “So it’s not like he’s conscious and he is able to talk to us and know what is going on. It’s like an unconscious / conscious state. His body is still repairing itself. It’s day-by-day.”

April noted that her aunt walked into the hospital room recently and her father said “good morning.”

“He’s actually doing quite well, all things considered,” April said. “He’s moving a lot. His arms and legs go constantly. Anybody who knows my dad, his legs move all the time. He’s not a sit-still kind of person. That means none of his motor functions, that we know of, are damaged.”

McClaughry recovery

But there is still a long road of recovery ahead for Officer McClaughry. April notes he mostly keeps his eyes closed. They think that the bone under his eye was fractured from pressure in his brain after he was shot in the head

“The part of the brain that the bullet hit affects vision,” she said. “Also, his right side is where the bullet exited, so I know that his hearing isn’t the greatest right now there. So it’s easier to talk to him on his left side.”

The GoFundMe page aims to support Officer McClaughry and his family during this tough time. Much of the medical costs are going to be covered, but there is concern about what other costs may arise.

“We really appreciate everything,” April said. “We appreciate everybody’s comments, prayers … the donations are great. We don’t want anybody to donate if they can’t afford it. But it’s been a lifesaver for me. I don’t have any vacation left at my work. So for me to be able to take time off is fantastic. I couldn’t ask for more.”

“The medical portion of it is all going to be taken care of — that’s a huge, huge relief,” she said. “The first bill was almost $1 million. Just the airlift was $25,000 … Because it was an on-the-job thing, L&I is going to cover it. But there’s a lot of expenses we are not aware of. We don’t know if there is any special equipment my dad will need. We don’t know if he is going to be able to see … it’s all those future things that we are trying to prepare for.”

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