Ride & Pride Event Coming Up May 18 Benefitting Officer Binh Dennis
Photography Provided
Last October, Fishers police officer Binh Dennis and his wife were enjoying a ride on his motorcycle in Brown County before a sudden, near-fatal crash. In an instant, Dennis’s life changed.
His wife, Mary, was fortunate to sustain only minor injuries. However, the accident left Dennis with three broken ribs, two collapsed lungs, three broken vertebrae, a fractured pelvis and dislocated knees. Not to mention, traumatic brain injuries.
More than six months later, it is a moment Dennis reflects on often.
“My first real memory of the accident wasn’t until nearly three weeks later,” Dennis says. “I woke up one day and realized I was in the hospital. I was laying in the hospital bed, taking inventory of everything and realized that my legs were not functioning. I had a lot of questions, I was confused. It was quite the awakening.”
It has been a long road so far for Dennis and will continue to be. More than anything, the accident has changed his outlook on life.
He knows he is lucky to still be alive.
“For me personally, it was a huge mind shift,” Dennis says. “No longer do I take any day for granted. I never used to be a deeply religious person. Since the accident though, I wake up every day, say a quick prayer, and I am so grateful to be alive. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. It is a struggle, sure, but I try to find joy in the things that I have and the things that I can do. Relationships I have are much more important to me now.”
Dennis continues to push through the injuries, and today he is recovering and rehabbing in Fishers. Since he returned home on Dec. 18, the Dennis family has seen nothing but support from the Fishers community and their friends.
“That day, I expected to come home and see a few friends gathered,” Dennis says. “Instead, it was a couple hundred people standing out on my front lawn, welcoming me home. That in itself was overwhelming for me and seeing the support from the community has been incredible.”
Today, Dennis says he is in a good place mentally. He has physical therapy and occupational therapy twice a week. The rehab continues to be a grueling process, but it is paying off and yielding encouraging results.
Officer Dennis is now at a point where he constantly feels some sort of sensation in his legs. He has also reported controlled bodily functions as well as regaining some of his core strength.
“Every week, it seems like, I get something that gives me a little hope that things are changing and moving in the right direction,” he says.
Through it all, Dennis credits his wife, more than anyone, for how far he has come since the accident.
“I tell people this more often than my wife would probably care for me to say,” he says. “She has been my rock, my advocate and my warrior. She has fought so many battles for me going through all this. If it wasn’t for her, I would not be where I am today.”
Dennis, a Fishers police officer for nine years and six years as a firefighter before that, has also seen overwhelming support from his brothers and sisters in blue as well as local law enforcement and firefighters from around Hamilton County. He is frequently visited by Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart and fellow officers and firefighters, something he is always grateful for.
The Fishers FOP Lodge No. 199 has organized and is hosting the inaugural Back the Badge — Ride & Pride event on May 18. The event is a motorcycle and car show that will be held at the new Harley Davidson located on Reynolds Drive in Fishers. The registration fee is $25 per vehicle for those participating in the show. The event is co-hosted by the Blue Iron Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club and Classic Cars & Nostalgia Motors. There will also be several categories for the motorcycle and car show, including the “Chief’s Choice Awards” and “Binh’s Choice Awards.”
The event is also open to the public. There won’t be an entrance fee for spectators, but donations will be accepted on site. The show will benefit Officer Dennis and his road to recovery.
“When I heard that this was being put together, I was so excited,” Dennis says. “It involves things I am influenced by — I drove a motorcycle and have always loved cars. I’m excited to get out in the community again and see a lot of the friends I’ve ridden with. I’m thankful for the love and support I’ve gotten from my coworkers and everyone in the Fishers community. It cannot be overstated. They have been my extended family along the way.”
For more information on the Back the Badge — Ride & Pride event, visit fop199.org. Those interested in donating items to the benefit can reach out to admin@fop199.org.
