Ohio Sargent Lets Teen Taser Him Fulfilling Her Dying Bucket List Wish
Lifestyle
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A police officer in Newark, Ohio went well beyond the call of duty when he volunteered to fulfill a dying teenager’s bucket wish list — allowing her to Taser him.
16-year-old Alyssa Elkins, who grew up on a farm near the Morgan County village of McConnelsville, got some devastating news that her leukemia had returned after four months of treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in 2015 . Deciding not to go through a second round of treatment, Elkins accepted her fate of six months or less to live — but not without a list of things she wanted to do.
The list which was started by Elkins and some of her eight siblings included things like pet a miniature pig and zapping a police officer with a Taser. The latter was inspired after recalling a video of her state trooper uncle, Josh Barry, being hit with a Taser during his law enforcement training.
Sgt. Doug Bline volunteered to be the guinea pig who fulfilled one of Elkins’ dying wishes. That is quite a sacrifice considering a Taser gun administers a pulse of 50,000 volts of electricity — which ensures the pulse reaches its target through the long insulated wires. Tasers send pulse cycles for five seconds before turning off.
“It is unpleasant to say the least, but if for five seconds if it makes somebody’s kind of dream come true, especially in her situation, I think it was well worth it,” Bline said.
The shock sends signals through the nervous system and causes pain and contraction in all of the muscles. Most victims fall to the ground and can become temporarily paralyzed when shot. However, it is tampered with a low amperage so as not to cause any lasting damage.
In the video taken on January 29, you can see the taser did its job. Bline braced himself as other cops hold him in anticipation of the Taser shot. Elkins, donned in uniform, was instructed by Sgt. Al Shaffer.
The room was filled with 50 people including officers, friends, family and Charlotte the pig – her other bucket list item – looking on. As Alyssa Elkins squeezed the trigger, the Taser reached out to Bline — who winced in pain and fell forward onto the mat with the two officers supporting him.
Sgt. Shaffer shared his emotional experience on Facebook. He posted, “I had the most amazing opportunity today and one that I will never forget!! I was given the unique opportunity to help fulfill a dream for an amazing little girl who has been been dealt life’s darkest outcome. Yet the little girl I met today was bright eyes, cheerful and full of life, surrounded by an amazing family and support system!! My small part in sharing my knowledge and skills to help fulfill one of her wishes seemed easy and insignificant at the beginning. It must just be me going into my instructor mode, but as I sit here at home and reflect on her personal situation, I can not help but feel humbled and helpless for her. Children are not meant to have to deal with issue like this and the way I am programmed I know in my heart I would do anything possible to help her in this battle yet I am helpless… To meet someone for such a very short time and have them provide such an impact on the way you view life, does not happen often and should not be taken lightly!!”
Alyssa Elkins described the experience as “awesome” to WCMH-TV. She added, “I’m very grateful that people would put themselves out there to allow me to do that to them.”
She accomplished a few other items on her bucket list: her mom took her shopping for a wedding dress, friends took a bottle with a message from her to the ocean, and she and her family are going to Disney World in February.
The Elkins family webpage, Storming Heaven for Alyssa, urges a day of prayer for their daughter and sister. It reads, “We are begging ALL people all over the world to join us March 5, 2017 to pray in agreement for a miracle for Alyssa Elkins… for this leukemia to leave her body and never return!”
