EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (WCIA) — It’s been a long road to recovery for one EIU police officer. Now, the community is coming together to help James “Big Jimmy” Williams get back on his feet.
The VFW, in Charleston, is holding a benefit to help cover Williams’ medical bills. Williams is a Marine veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm. Then, he worked as an EIU police officer for more than two decades.
In 2007, he was diagnosed with heart failure. Since that fall, he’s gone through five surgeries, three of those open heart operations. He says he’s working to recover to the point where he can rejoin the force.
He hopes to be back in action by fall, working for the community he loves. Williams wants to thank all those who’ve helped him when he needed it the most.
His last surgery was a heart transplant in February.
