Former AR State Trooper Walks Into His Future

As seen on KTHV 11

A little over a year ago, while patrolling, Brian Burke topped a hill and a car pulled out in front of him. “Next thing I knew I was laying on the ground,” said Burke. He was rushed to the ER with gruesome injuries to his shin, ankle and hip.

“I was looking at all that thinking, ‘how am I gonna get this back together?" questioned Dr. Robert Olive, Orthopedic Surgeon at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs. With two tedious and determined operations, Dr. Olive was able to put Brian back together.

"Pretty amazing, you've done well,” said Dr. Olive.

A year later, playing sports with his four kids is no longer allowed but they still get to spend time together. “I do pretty much what I want to do. I just try to do it in a safe way,” said Burke. What makes this story remarkable though is not how he is a year later, but how he responded just days after the accident.

“One of the things that impressed me the most about Brian was the fact that he did rehabilitate faster than most people do,” said Dr. Olive. “One thing he had on his side was that he was young, he was healthy, had no bad habits. As a result of that, he healed a lot better.” “It's one thing to have a primary care doctor. It's another thing to actually use the services of that primary care doctor.”

While Brian Burke's injuries have required him to retire from the state police, he is pain free and obviously mobile.

Learn more about Dr. Robert Olive and CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs.