When Capt. Stacey Deans was hospitalized for severe spinal injuries back in May, doctors said it may be up to 18 months before he could walk again.

Now, he said, he can get around with the aid of a walker.

“I’m just really excited about my recovery,” he said.

Deans, who is the head of the Criminal Investigation Division at Columbus Police Department, has been away on medical leave since early May when a severe spinal compression left him mostly paralyzed on his left side. After surgery on May 6, Deans was put in the intensive care unit for about a week, said his wife, Yolanda Deans. He was only discharged on June 19 and is now going through inpatient occupational therapy at a rehabilitation clinic and nursing home in another city.

“It was definitely a long journey, basically being taught how to utilize my limbs again, being taught how to walk again,” Stacey Deans said. “It was a journey. … It actually came quicker than the doctors thought.”

And he hopes that recovery allows him to come back to Columbus, at least for a couple of hours, on Saturday for a bike rally being held to raise money to help cover his continued medical recovery.

The rally, which is organized by the Community Benefit Committee and the Columbus motorcycle club Street Jumpers, is being held downtown on Saturday, said CPD Officer Rhonda Sanders, who is the committee’s president. It starts with a 5K at 7 a.m., and a 50-mile motorcycle ride is planned for 10:30, when kickstands go up, she said.

Following the ride, the committee will sell catfish plates and other food for $10. There will be live music, a raffle and, of course, plenty of motorcycles, Sanders said. She added there are civilians and law enforcement agents from six different states attending the event.

“What they want to do is give back to Stacey because he’s given so much,” she said. “… These people are reaching out to help him, and that’s the reason we have so many states.”

Deans described the bike rally as the brainchild of Sanders and Quincy Tate, a member of Street Jumpers and a friend of Deans, though Tate said his son is the one who suggested he use the club to benefit Deans.

“Stacey’s just a good guy,” Tate said. “… Street Jumpers is really supportive of anyone. We just try to go out and help. We do benefit rides for disabled kids. We do one of those a year. If anyone just comes to the Street Jumpers for support, we try to do what we can to support anyone.”

Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said it’s not the first time CPD and the benefit committee have held fundraisers for officers in need. In the case of Deans, he said, other CPD officers have donated part of their medical and vacation days to Deans so that he can stay out of work longer.

“We’re trying to show that when there’s one of our own (in need), we band together … and help them,” he said.

Shelton added the rally is also a great way for the community and police to mingle in a “fun” atmosphere.

“There’ll be a lot of law enforcement there, so community and police coming together,” he said.

Both Stacey and Yolanda Deans said they are “overwhelmed” by the support of those planning to attend the rally.

“We are utterly astonished at the outpouring of love,” Yolanda said. “We are in amazement. We think it’s a special thing they’re doing. … To have so many states coming — we’re just astonished. We don’t have words.”

Both she and Stacey said they credited their faith in God for helping them get through Deans’ recovery.

“Of course I’ve still got some way to go, but I’m making progress, constant progress,” Stacey said.

There is a $25 registration fee for the 5K online at raceroster.com and $30 registration day of, said Sanders. She added to register for the motorcycle ride, which begins at the Columbus Soccer Complex, there is a $25 fee, and sign-up is available at CPD on Main Street.

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