A Western New York man needs a reason to smile, and the City of Good Neighbors is being asked to help.
On Wednesday April 18, Officer David Starke was involved in a terrible crash.
“I remember passing through an intersection, and everything blacked out,” he said. “The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.”
Starke works for the Ormond Beach Florida Police Department, but was born and raised in East Amherst. He said he doesn’t remember the crash, but was told a pickup did a u-turn in front of him, and he went down.
“As you can see, I have some stitches and staples in my forehead,” he said as he showed the camera the top of his head. His hairline looks like it was sewn back on his skull after the crash.
David is in a lot of pain these days.
“It’s just overwhelming,” he said. “A lot of pain… a lot of stuff going on in the hospital I’ve never had to go through before.”
He said he broke almost every bone in his one leg, and his one arm isn’t in much better shape.
“I have very, very minimal use, I can’t even pick it up,” he said, referencing his arm.
He’s hoping to get out of the hospital soon, and continue rehab in another facility.
And while he recovers, the City of Good Neighbors is asked to come together to put a smile on his face.
David is a HUGE Buffalo sports fan.
“I think my wife gets a little agitated at my dedication to watching the Bills and Sabres every year.”
When the Bills made the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, he was one of the donors to Andy Dalton’s campaign.
“So I donated the 17 dollars,” he said.
He even went to the playoff game in Jacksonville, while his wife was nine months pregnant.
“She said if I call and tell you I’m going into labor, you better be gone the second that I send that text.”
His daughter is now just three months old.
“The strain and stress on the family is just incredible.”
It’s tough to find a reason to smile these days for David. So, as a city, lets get a grin on his face.
A card, a hat, anything you want to send his way — he would fully appreciate. This is for a man who needs a pick-me-up… a man who’s given his heart to Buffalo his entire life.
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If you want to send something to Officer David Starke, address it to:
Attn: Marianne Durkin
Ormond Beach Police Dept
170 W Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach, FL 32174
