Achilles repair leads to friendship between Westerville officer and medical team

WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A Westerville police officer and his K9 are glad to be back at work after the officer suffered a scary injury while playing flag football. 

Back in November during a Turkey Bowl flag football game against the fire department, Khyrell Baggoo, an officer with the Westerville Division of Police, ruptured his Achilles. He said it was emotional as he wasn't sure what it meant for his work -- especially his work with Bruno, his K9.

“You know that Achilles, like you’re going to be down for months and here I am with this fur missile full of energy and I'm trying to figure out what are we going to do for the next six months while I'm down," he said. 

Baggoo had his surgery done at OhioHealth. He said it did not take long for his four legged partner to start wondering what was going on.

"Two weeks into it he’s kind of looking at me like, 'Hey, what are we doing? when are we getting back at it?' But even then it was a challenge for him, I think him seeing me in a boot he was kind of like 'What is that?' and then him seeing me on crutches, he was kind of apprehensive at first," Baggoo said.

They were back at it six months after the surgery. The operation was completed by Dr. Brian Steginsky, an orthopedic surgeon with OhioHealth. He said he did a two centimeter incision, which is smaller than what used to be done for Achilles surgeries. He said they used to be done with incisions closer to six centimeters. The less invasive operation combined with physical therapy and Baggoo's drive helped get him back on the streets in a matter of months, according to Steginsky. 

“He had a lot going on and so I really kind of felt for him, we just communicated, stayed in touch," Steginsky said. "I wanted to make sure he had a good outcome, that I could do my part to getting him back to his life."

Baggoo just took his physical therapist and Steginsky on a ride along last week.

"He kind of sees what happens on my end, I was kind of curious and he invited me to kind of see what happens on his end and I thought it was an interesting opportunity," Steginsky said. "I kind of wanted to see after getting him back to everything what a daily job was like for him and Bruno and kind of experience it firsthand."

Steginsky and Baggoo said the entire situation has led to a new friendship.

“I’m no grade-A athlete and I don't have all the means these super star athletes have but to be able to be confident and be able to do my job to the best of my ability within six months is pretty amazing," Baggpo said.