MANSFIELD — Angi Prince has spent nearly every day since Aug. 14 in the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.
She has waited patiently at her son’s side as he recovers from a head-on collision that left him with life-threatening injuries. The 24-year-old Connor Prince, a deputy with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, suffered a brain injury, stroke and multiple broken bones from the collision.
He was life-flighted to the OSU Trauma Center and has been in the Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital since Sept. 8.
Angi Prince said doctors estimate her son has between one and three years of intensive recovery ahead of him, but she believes he will make a full recovery.
Connor Prince has undergone seven surgeries and multiple tests in the hospital. He has regular speech and physical therapy sessions.
Two weeks after he said his first words since the accident, Connor Prince witnessed 600 community members gather for his benefit at Baku Grotto Hall in Mansfield Nov. 12.
The benefit’s organizers video-called Connor Prince in the hospital so he could wave to supporters.
Angi Prince could hardly finish a conversation before the next person approached her with a hug and prayer.
“I am so overwhelmed and I feel so blessed,” she said. “Thank you for the love, the prayers and generosity.
“I always knew Connor had a special heart, but now I can see how many people’s lives he’s touched.”
Angi Prince said her son has dreamed of becoming a deputy sheriff all his life. He started his career after graduating from Lucas High School at the Bellville Police Department, before transferring to the Knox County Sheriff’s Department a few years ago.
Capt. Jay Sheffer said Prince’s co-workers donated enough paid time off to keep him on the payroll through the end of 2022. Officers may donate more PTO once it resets. Sheffer said his department will do everything it can to help Prince recover.
“Once he recovers, we’ll take him back as a deputy,” Sheffer said. “If he can’t come back as a deputy, we’ll definitely do something civilian-wise for him.”
Sgt. Jeremy Carpenter said Prince is always eager to help his fellow officers.
“Everybody loves Connor,” Carpenter said. “He’s an extremely hard worker, always positive, always smiling. He’s always willing to help out. Just a good well-rounded person.”
Carpenter has visited Prince in the hospital a few times with his fiancé, Knox County dispatcher Taylor Evans.
“[Prince] even cracked a smile when I told him a joke, so that was really nice,” Carpenter said. “So far, he’s started talking, he’s strumming his guitar, giving thumbs up and still using some sign language.”
Carpenter and Evans visited Prince as soon as they could after they heard about the accident and try to visit once every few weeks. When they first heard Prince was seriously injured, Carpenter said he was in shock.
“It’s heartbreaking because you never expect it to happen to someone that you work with,” he said. “You always see it on TV and in the news in these bigger cities, but now it hits home.”
Evans said she never expects officers she works with to be injured off-duty like Prince was. She said she was worried for Prince during the weeks of multiple surgeries, but can now see him improving.
“You get worse before you get better, so it was scary there for a month or so, but it’s a night and day difference from where he is now,” Evans said.
Evans started a GoFundMe for Prince that raised more than $10,000 before total donations and funds were counted from Saturday’s benefit.
Multiple groups attended the benefit to support Prince, including local sheriff and police departments, The American Legion, Punisher and Warthog motorcycle groups and community members whom Connor Prince helped as an officer.
Patina Wert-Nabors, who helped organize the benefit, said she ran out of food for the spaghetti dinner within an hour, but The American Legion donated additional food.
“Anything you can think of that can be donated was — baked goods, gift baskets, diamond necklaces,” Wert-Nabors said. “We’ve been busy the last three months collecting all of the auction items and donations.”
The benefit included a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. The winner of the raffle donated his 50% back to Connor Prince’s family.
Angi Prince lives in Lucas but spends most nights with her son in Columbus. She updates friends and family on Connor Prince’s condition via a CaringBridge web page.
She said Connor Prince still has good and bad days, but she remains grateful for everyone who has prayed for his recovery and supported him.
