“Are you Mac?”

As I looked at the handsome young man walking towards me, I knew immediately who he was.

“Sean!” I said.

We hugged, and I said how wonderful it was to meet him in person. I could not believe this was the officer who had half of his face blown off.

I had a special table set for this hero, along with Court Intake Officer, and my son, Huck McCollum; his girlfriend, Fernanda del a Mora; Explorer and law enforcement training expert Dale Stewart; and Ted Bundy survivor Kathy Kleiner. They’re an amazing group of advocates, experts, and caring, loving people.

The table did not know Sean or his story. I simply walked up and introduced each person and said, “Sean is a hero police officer who was shot in the line of duty,” and walked away.

As I walked away, I heard Huck speak first: “Well sh*t man, is your story a scary one or a bada*s one?”

I heard everyone at the table laugh, and Sean said, “Well, I guess both.”

I knew he was at the right table.

It was February 21, 2021, at approximately 3:30 a.m. when Officer Sean Houle pulled over a car for traffic violations.

The traffic stop was a result of Sean working nightly criminal/narcotic interdiction operations. Due to his training and experience, he noticed all the occupants in the car had a strong reaction to his presence.

Sean said, “I conducted a lawful traffic stop based upon the discovery that the driver had an active order for his arrest. The driver and I had a previous encounter, which is how I was able to recall his name for a warrant check.”

As Officer Houle was attempting to stop the vehicle, the front seat passenger, Quinton Blocker, jumped and ran as the vehicle slowed to a stop. After a short standoff, Blocker fled into a nearby wooded area.

Officer Houle did not pursue Blocker on foot because there were additional people in the vehicle. One of whom he knew had a warrant. He also had a canine partner with him that was capable of tracking. A track of the offender, Blocker, was performed.

The initial pursuit was successful, but a supervisor terminated the search before Officer Houle had apprehended the suspect. Blocker was not located or identified.

All occupants of the vehicle were arrested and taken to jail for warrants and/or drug paraphernalia located during the investigation. Officer Houle transported a suspect back to his apartment as a courtesy due to him being released from jail on a written promise. His apartment was close to the original traffic stop, so Officer Houle was a nice guy and got this individual back to his family.

Officer Houle told me he “observed Blocker sitting inside a vehicle that he illegally entered inside the parking lot of the apartment complex. My headlights illuminated Blocker before he could duck out of view.”

Officer Houle attempted to take Blocker into custody. Blocker refuses to obey commands.

Officer Houle is doing the right thing, obeying all the rules and standard operating procedures as per his department; his K9, Jax, cannot be used for an apprehension at this point. So, he leaves Jax in the patrol car as he advances on Blocker to take him into custody.

In the darkness, Officer Houle approaches the 90s model Toyota Corolla when Blocker suddenly makes a movement. Officer Houle grabs Blocker as he’s still inside the vehicle.

Officer Houle stated, “I was pulled into the vehicle by his weight/momentum/strength. We violently fight and struggle inside the vehicle.”

As both Officer Houle and Blocker are fighting and falling out of the vehicle, Officer Houle knocks Blocker’s gun out of his hand. Officer Houle had not realized that he did this.

To add to the catastrophe of this event, the door-popping remote worn on the officer’s outer carrier vest was malfunctioning and would not release Jax from the Police Tahoe. Officer Houle stated, “At the height of the fight, I proceeded to attempt to manipulate my firearm, which was knocked out of my hand as a result of being body slammed.

Blocker was able to obtain my weapon as we were on the ground and fired an initial shot that entered my face near my right jaw. He proceeded to attempt to execute me by shooting me in the head again. I grabbed the gun and jerked it away from my head. He then shot me through the center of my left hand, taking off my middle finger.

I had a shattered face (right side), a severed carotid artery, and a shattered hand with a missing finger.”

Officer Houle was able to radio twice and give dispatch his location.

The sight of the barrel of the gun was just two feet away before the shot rang out, hitting him in the face. Officer Houle had a clear-as-day image of his wife and two young sons. As he lay on the street bleeding to death, he radioed for his third and final time, “I’m dying.”

Incredibly, this young officer received 72 units of blood—that means he bled out three times.

Sean told me, “From a medical standpoint, strictly medical, there’s no reason why I’m here.”

Blocker pleaded guilty to five charges in February 2023, including attempted first-degree murder, and was sentenced to 33–42 years in prison.

Officer Houle said, “I love a life of service. I love being called during someone’s absolute worst moment of their life to be able to help them in some way.”

Sean could not hold back the tears when he called out on the radio for the last time. He was grateful to be alive, but he was not ready to take the badge off forever. As he keyed the mic to call 10-42 for the remainder, the code for out of service, he was visibly crying and overwhelmed with emotions.

The three people that he saw as he lay dying were his family, and he said, “This is not how or where my life ends.”

He will find new paths and new ways to serve others and spend more time with his family. He loves helping people, making his community safer, and responding to wherever he is needed.

At the trial, this young former officer, father, son, and husband sat in a room with Quinton Blocker and told him he forgave him. After nearly dying by his hands, after all the surgeries and rehabilitation, learning to speak again and to use his left hand again. All the nightmares and flashbacks of the gun going off in his face—he forgave the man that caused it all.

Y’all know how sometimes things happen and you can’t ignore it. It’s so clear that you are getting a message, a sign of a God moment. I think that’s exactly what occurred when Sean went on vacation. This was supposed to be a rest. A getaway from it all. But he was drawn in. He was put on alert.

All his training and want of service kicked in. Once again, Sean, without hesitation, jumped at the chance to help a stranger. With no thought for his own safety, Sean helped save a drowning man.

It was the 4th of July holiday, and a man got swept up in a rip tide. Two men pulled him to the beach, and he was blue in the face. Sean started giving him breaths of rescue, and an off-duty nurse was giving chest compressions.

Suddenly, the man started breathing, and a heartbeat returned. God saw to it to save Sean’s life, and then used him to save another.

The next day, Sean and his family return to the beach to once again play and enjoy the holiday. Sean asked the lifeguard if the man was doing OK. The lifeguard said the man was at the beach with his family right down the way. Sean and his family were able to meet the man he helped save and his family. What a moment.

There is no doubt in my mind that Sean Houle has more service in him, more success, and more heroics. There is no doubt that Huck, Fernanda, Dale, and Kathy will be right there supporting their new friend.

I plan on being in the front row for all of it!