Jon Reid, S.B. Shooting Victim

Hi. I am Jon's  sister, Tammy.          
I, like many of you, heard in disbelief and sadness about the mass shooting in San Bernardino, on December 2nd.  I was actually at work and talked with my co-workers in length about how tragic the event was.  I didn't even think to text my brother, Jon Reid, an Environmental Health Specialist with the County of San Bernardino. I knew that he didn't work in that building...

Jon went to work that morning, like he had for the last 11 years.  With a B.S. in Biology, Jonathan fostered a career with the San Bernardino Department of Public Health, environmental health division.   His wife, Genifer, a stay at home mom of two beautiful kids, recalled , "he was particularly handsome that morning.  "He had a new shirt and tie on", as he kissed her and his kids, 6 and 3 years old,  goodbye.

Jon was critically wounded during the horrific mass shooting that day.  He was shot 7 times with assault rifles, some shots at close range.  He was shot 3 times in the chest, twice in the back and 1 on his hip and another on his leg.

One of the bullets hit a pulmonary artery, causing massive bleeding-ultimately causing him to lose close to 30% of one lung.

Other bullets entered and exited his body with such force that his shoulder, hip and ribs were broken from the impact.

We later found out that Jon's condition was so grave when he arrived at ER, they lost his pulse.  Only a matter of minutes in circumstance or decisions, made the difference in Jon's life.

He was rushed in for emergency surgery, where doctors did not have the time to CT scan him.  Jon was opened up from arm pit to armpit and then again from his breastbone down through his abdomen.  He would endure 4 major surgeries in the next 3 days and would be given 16 units of blood, in an effort to stabilize him.          (I learned that the average person only has 10 units)

He was intubated (breathing tube), had a feeding tube and remained critical in ICU for 7 days.  He was moved to a step down care unit and eventually transferred to the rehab hospital.

We have so many people to thank and we are so grateful that Jon is alive and making progress everyday in his recovery.  But not without struggle.  He deals with pain everyday.  Finds it hard to even sit comfortably.  He has doctor's appointments every day of the week and will need continuous physical rehab until he acheives normal use of his leg and arm.  No one is sure if he will ever have full use of his right arm again.  He has had to go through speech therapy to regain use of his voice, after having his vocal cord paralyzed, as well.

The family would like to thank everyone for their support and love.  We feel so thankful for the visits, meals, help with errands, babysitting and most of all for the care, love and concern rallied around Jon. People have asked how they can help in other ways and that is why we decided to set up this GoFund me page.  We are not sure when he will be able to return to work and any little bit will help give them the safety net they need.