Town boss Kieran McKenna says retired Arizona police officer and motivational speaker Jason Schechterle’s return to the club this week has given everyone at Portman Road a boost ahead of Saturday’s home game against Shrewsbury.
Schechterle suffered serious burns in a road accident in March 2001, aged 28, only 14 months into his career as a police officer on the streets of Phoenix.
He was on his way to an emergency call when a taxi, travelling at over 100mph, crashed into the rear of his patrol car, the driver having suffered an epileptic fit.
Schechterle’s police car burst into flames and he was trapped inside for more than 90 seconds.
Remarkably, Schechterle, now 50, survived the crash but suffered fourth degree burns, drastically altering his appearance and has since undergone more than 50 surgeries. His story in full can be found on his Burning Shield website.
In the summer, ahead of the start of the season, Schechterle, a member and representative of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), the police and fire service pension fund which owns a majority stake in the club, spoke to players, coaching staff, office staff and a handful of invited guests, telling his moving and extraordinary life story.
He also talked about values and how Town’s match those of PSPRS and the people they represent, as exemplified by the Running Towards Adversity mantra promoted by the club since the takeover.
Since then, Schechterle has become an avid follower of the Blues and is looking forward to watching tomorrow’s game when he will be interviewed over the PA at half-time.
"It's been great to see him this week,” McKenna said. "It's given the whole training ground another boost. The mood was already good, but it's given us a real boost having Jason back.
"He was a big part of our pre-season and setting the season up. He spent some time with us before the first game and was a really inspirational figure to meet, and I know his words and his manner and how he is as a person really touched everybody and has been an inspiration for us right through the season.
"So it's been great to have him back. He's a reminder to the whole group of the support that we have across the world, the support we have in America, the support we have from the ownership group and from the people behind the pension fund, and it's been great to re-strengthen that connection again.
"It’s great for the new players and staff to meet him for the first time and give them a better understanding of the context of the club at the moment and, again, the support we have and some of the people that we are representing.
"It's been great having him here and he's a great person, a great inspiration for us, and he's looking forward to seeing the game on Saturday.
"Hopefully, we can go out there and do everything we can to give a performance that we'll be proud of and him and the supporters will all be proud of as well.”