Sgt. Justin Dodge and Waddell Discuss Mental, Physical and Spiritual Fitness
DENVER – Join Host Michael Waddell as he sits down with Sgt. Justin Dodge, a 30-year veteran of the Denver Police Department (DPD) to discuss what Sgt. Dodge calls "the active pursuit of wellness." In a horrible, freak accident where he was struck, pinned down and run over by a fire truck during the Denver Nugget's NBA championship parade in June of 2023, Sgt. Dodge's leg was crushed beneath the wheel of the 80,000-pound truck. The resulting severe trauma ultimately required nine surgeries and amputation of the leg below the knee. Despite the catastrophic injury, Sgt. Dodge made a miraculous recovery and returned to full-time service with the DPD's elite Metro SWAT unit in less than a year. The inspiring story of Sgt. Dodge's remarkable return to service through rigorous physical therapy and rehabilitation efforts is one of unbelievable determination and grit.
Sgt. Dodge's journey of healing charted a course forward for him that ultimately led to his wanting to share his message of resiliency and wellness and to help others prepare for and get through the challenges in their own lives, and he's our very special guest on this episode of The Michael Waddell Podcast, presented by REMAX OUTDOORS and in partnership with Cigars International. On June 15, 2023, it's estimated that 1 million people gathered in downtown Denver for the Denver Nuggets NBA championship parade. The last fire truck in the parade carried superstar center Nikola Jokic and team owner Stanley Kroenke and family, and it's estimated that at the end of the parade nearly 50,000 people swarmed the truck in chaotic jubilation. At one point, as the truck moved slowly forward and negotiated a tight, right-hand turn, the heel of Sgt. Dodge's left boot was caught under one of the truck's massive tires, and his life changed forever there at the intersection of 13th and Cherokee.
"Obviously, I'm not prepared to have my leg destroyed, disintegrate in front of me," Sgt. Dodge began, talking about that moment. "The pain was manageable enough that I still had my wits about me to know that my life just completely changed. But I can tell you this, hand on a Bible, absolutely no questions asked, my rehab started with the truck on top of me…"
"So, there's a Green Beret named Nick Lavery," Sgt. Dodge continued, "He has written several books. Total stud. He's actually an above-the-knee amputee, not a below-the-knee amputee. I had no idea who Nick was, but I remembered seeing the cover of his book. I remember seeing this guy sitting next to an armored vehicle in kit that looked very similar to our kit, and he's on a prosthetic. And I kid you not, that image went through my head. I'm on the street. Tourniquets are what's keeping me alive right now. And I'm already like, 'I don't know who Nick is, but if he can do it, well, of course, I can do it…I didn't know the name of the book. I didn't know Nick's name. I didn't know his story, I just remembered that picture and seeing a big, jacked dude in kit on a prosthetic and was like, 'All right, if somebody has done it before me, then I can do it.' That was what my thought process was. But it's only because I've been preparing for this event for 20 years…"
In this podcast, Waddell and Sgt. Dodge go into detail about what he meant when he said, 'preparing for this event' through his pursuit of wellness and what he calls "prehab."
"So, the more that you can do to make it so that you're fit, your finances are good," Sgt. Dodge began. "For me, I don't drink. But, you know, I'd tell people that are out there to be very smart. I'm not going to preach about that, and I don't preach about anything. When I get up on stage to do my keynote, I don't do it in a preachy way. I do it in a, 'I've lived this; I've seen this; I've watched this; so, these are things that I've done to make it so that I can be on stage to talk to you guys.' So, through this prehab, it has basically prepared me so that I'm lying there and I was able to have the mindset to move and save my life. I had the mindset, once I was pulled out, once the tourniquets were on, to be like, 'I'm coming back.' So, that's what prehab did for me. Prehab kept me alive, but then it also kept me going once I realized that I was going to live."
The Michael Waddell Podcast is produced by Outdoor Sportsman Group and is available widely on Outdoor Channel YouTube, MyOutdoorTV, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and OutdoorChannel.com, to name a few.
While Sgt. Dodge doesn't discuss tactical aspects of his job, he certainly emphasizes his motivation for returning to service on one of the country's oldest full-time SWAT units.
"For us, SWAT doesn't stand for 'Special Weapons and Tactics,'" said Sgt. Dodge. "SWAT stands for 'Saving Lives.' Period. That's our goal. That's our mission. That's our creed. That's how we train. That's how we operate. That's the equipment we buy. That's the personnel that we bring on. Everything. Everything. Everything is about saving lives. There's not a dude on that team that wants to be involved in a critical incident. Not one. Not one. Even with all the gear, all the everything we have… I pray before every single op. I've been doing this for 20 years. There's not a single operation that I've done that I haven't prayed before. And it's kind of cool to pray before going on an op, because after that you're so free. Your mind is so free because you're not having to worry about that 'What if?' Because, God forbid, if that truck would have completely run me over, 'God's got this.' I know where I'm going. He's going to take care of my family; He's going to do all those things."
"One of the things I'd love to get out there," continued Sgt. Dodge, "because I do have 84 years of consecutive [police service] in the family. I've got a daughter that's Generation Four. If people understood, there's not a police officer in the country at this time – there may have been way back in the day – but there's not a police officer in the country that wakes up and says, 'You know what, I want to go get involved in a really nasty, messy critical incident today. I want to go out and see if I can get into a shooting today. I want to go out and see if something can happen where I'm either going to get hurt or somebody else is going to get hurt, I'm going to get criminally prosecuted, I'm going to make national news, I'm going to be the next one. Officers wake up every single day now – because of some of the things that have happened – and pray for just the opposite. 'Please, God, give me the understanding of the situation to make it better without anything having to happen. That doesn't always take place, but that's one thing that I would love, as I'm in the twilight of my career, to have people understand."
"It was such an honor to have Sgt. Justin Dodge here to visit with me," said Waddell. "His story of recovery from catastrophic injury is incredibly inspiring, as is his message about living a life of discipline and wellness, 'prehabbing' to make sure that you can avoid or overcome those challenges that life inevitably will send your way. Listening to his story motivates me to do more work in my own life. I'm sure Justin and I will talk again soon, and I will be adding his Heavy Victory Podcast to my regular listening list."
The Michael Waddell Podcast releases new episodes every other week.
Waddell's story began in the backwoods of Booger Bottom, Georgia, where he grew up surrounded by nature, family, and a love for the outdoors. A self-proclaimed "rowdy redneck," his passion for hunting and storytelling led him to win a Realtree turkey-calling contest, which launched his career in the outdoor industry. From guiding and filming hunts to creating hit shows like Realtree Road Trips and Bone Collector, Waddell has become a beloved figure in the outdoor world.
About Outdoor Sportsman Group: Outdoor Sportsman Group is comprised of the world's foremost media and entertainment brands for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. It includes four leading multichannel networks: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and GAME & FISH TV, a dynamic new Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) channel dedicated to sports enthusiasts and outdoor lovers. Additionally, Outdoor Sportsman Group operates Sportsman Channel (Canada) and MOTV, the world's leading subscription streaming platform created for outdoor lifestyle enthusiasts. The Group also consists of numerous established publishing assets, including 14 outdoor magazines such as Guns & Ammo, Game & Fish, Petersen's HUNTING, and In-Fisherman, along with 20 top websites. Outdoor Sportsman Group also includes television production operations through Winnercomm. For more information, visit www.outdoorsg.com.