SCRANTON, Pa. — A benefit event for Detective Gilmartin was held in Lackawanna County on Friday evening.
Hundreds of people came to Montage Mountain to gather for Gilmartin. It was three months ago the Scranton police detective was shot twice in the head while on the job. After surgeries and rehab, he's back home.
"Just so grateful for it. It's unbelievable to see; gives me faith, and it reassures me why I did my job," said Detective Kyle Gilmartin.
"He's a walking miracle, but it doesn't surprise me because his drive as a police officer; I could see that this was not going to keep him down, and he is going to push further. He is a champion," said Guy Salerno, President of Lackawanna County Chiefs of Police Association.
The "Gathering for Gilmartin" fundraising committee spent months planning the benefit to help raise money for the Gilmartin family. The night was filled with live music, food, drinks, and basket raffles.
"We knew this injury was going to affect him physically but also mentally for a very long time. So we wanted to make sure that we could do something for him and his family that would at least make it as easy as possible for him to get through this," added Salerno.
Among the crowd were family and friends, but also many people who had never met the detective; they all said they just wanted to show their support.
"It's really a miracle that he made it out the way he did. When you hear someone got shot in the head, it's just crazy," said Chase Henderson of Scranton.
Detective Gilmartin says he still has a long journey ahead, but he has a village to help him through his recovery.
"I love Scranton. I'm not from here, but I have been living here since I've been a police officer here, and I just love this city and what it stands for, and the people that make up Scranton. I love everything about it," added Detective Gilmartin.
Detective Gilmartin says he's set to have another surgery in a couple of weeks to get a prosthetic skull attached to the rest of his skull. He says this is just another step on the path to healing.