MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — A former Muskegon police officer is asking for the community's help to support first responders in Muskegon County. This fall, he's hoping to organize a fundraiser to help first responders who suffer from PTSD. Joe Stapel started this non-profit last year after realizing a few years ago that he suffered from PTSD during retirement.
"It only takes 90 days for a PTSD incident to take a full, full hold of you," said Stapel.
After serving as police officer for 20 years in Muskegon County, Stapel was diagnosed with PTSD in 2017.
"I found out that I had it by accident. As a police officer, I've always got these memories, you know, and I assumed that all police officers remembered all their fatal calls. I was told, Joe, you got cumulative PTSD," said Stapel.
According to Institutes of Health, one in three first responders develop PTSD and 80% experience traumatic events on the job. In March of 2023, Stapel founded Help Michigan Heroes to support first responders experiencing PTSD and assist them with their medical bills.
"God, their co-pays for mental health care are ridiculous. We're going to raise money to help those people with those co-pays. I don't want these young people retiring and finding out by accident, like I did, that they have PTSD," said Stapel.
Stapel said during his time as a police officer, he's seen some horrific things that have stuck with him.
"Fatal incidents that I still remember, everything from plane crashes to a young child in a school bus to double fatals on the highway," said Stapel.
He hopes to have a fundraiser this fall to raise money for first responders' medical co-pays for treatments and therapy. That's why he's asking for the community's help to continue his mission.
"So many of us have had help from our first responders sometime during our life, from a police officer, from a firefighter, from a EMT, or from an emergency room nurse, and now it's their turn to get help from us," said Stapel.