ATLANTA — Henry County Sheriff's Deputy Sid Callaway is recovering after major surgery on Friday, and his wife said Monday that they are hoping for a full recovery. But he has a long way to go.
“He had a gastro blockage" as a result of long-term damage from being shot in the lower abdomen, said his wife, LuAnn Callaway. "His intestines were actually tied into a bow."
Ms. Callaway has been at Dep. Callaway's bedside at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center since his operation Friday night. “He has come through another surgical procedure, and they’ve got his intestines going in the right direction again, so we’re just hoping for a full recovery.”
Dep. Callaway was shot nearly one year ago--on Feb. 9, 2018--along with Deputy Michael Corley and Locust Grove police officer Chase Maddox. Officer Maddox was killed. They were serving an arrest warrant in Locust Grove for an armed suspect who had failed to appear in court. The suspect, 39-year-old Tierre Guthrie, was killed in the return fire.
On the day of the shooting, Callaway underwent a five-hour surgery, closing all the internal wounds made by the bullet.
LuAnn said her husband had been back on an exercise regimen, and was planning to walk 26 miles next week, on Feb. 9, to honor Maddox, who was 26 years old when he lost his life that day a year earlier. A GoFundMe account has been established to help Maddox's family. Click here for more
“He was coming along well, he was about 50 percent, his strength was coming back,” LuAnn said. “He had been walking and lifting weights a little bit, but a week ago Friday he ended up with some severe intestinal pain.”
LuAnn said after her husband's latest surgery this past Friday, he is back to “square one” in his recovery process.
“It’s certainly a setback …. now it’s almost as if he’s starting over again,” LuAnn said. “He’s doing really well. I’m surprised with all that’s happened in the last nine or 10 days that he has maintained his testimony for the Lord, he’s kind and patient with everyone that comes in and takes care of him, and of course, he’d like to go home … but this is what we’re going through, now. This is our new normal.”
As soon as Callaway’s intestines “wake up” from last week’s surgery, she said he will be able to start eating ice chips and work his way up to Gatorade and eventually, soft foods.
While the Callaway family continues to face immense obstacles, LuAnn said their faith--and the prayers and messages of support from thousands of people who have been in contact with the family--keep them strong and help them from becoming discouraged,
“I have such gratitude.... I would hope that everyone would pray for my husband, but, more than that, that they would pray for all of our officers, and our military,” LuAnn said. “They’re under stress, they see hard times all the time, and they need our communities and our nation behind them, praying for them.”
