OLYPHANT, Pa. — You may remember Alex Douglass as the Pennsylvania State Trooper who survived the deadly shooting at the Blooming Grove barracks in 2014.
While Alex will always live with the reminders of the darkest moment in his life, now he's living in the light.
"You know, it's changed, but right now, it's changed for the better," Douglass said during an interview at his home in Lackawanna County.
Alex married his wife Jackie in 2019, and together, they're raising Jackie's two daughters.
"I wouldn't be in the position I am now if it wasn't for my wife and the girls. It's done wonders for me," he said.
Also doing wonders — Alex's twice-weekly physical therapy sessions at Allied Services in Scranton.
"He's wanting to do more, try new things. Now it's like, we're able to go for a walk around the neighborhood. He can do more things, he has more energy," Jackie said.
Alex is taking steps he never thought he'd take thanks to this machine- called an AlterG treadmill.
It was purchased with proceeds raised during the 2021 marathon for Team Allied Services. Jackie was a member of last year's team.
"It feels like you're in a big balloon because it fills up with air, and it actually takes that pressure off, or that impact off, if you start walking, or running, in that case, which I'm just starting to do," Alex added.
Jackie's marathon helped to bring the specialized therapy to Allied Services — a wife helping to realize her husband's dream.
Alex has participated in the TCS New York City Marathon for Allied before using a handbike. They both believe he will one day run the race.
"I can definitely see in the future that he can be able to have better range of motion, be stronger in the leg. I hope that with Allied's support, he will be able to do more things and will be able to get back to doing a marathon," Jackie said.