Top officer with motor neurone disease retires
ATOP Midlands policeman who was struck down by a terminal illness has retired after three decades of service.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Johnson, 52, from West Midlands Police, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in October 2018 – but vowed to “keep fighting every day” for his wife and children.
The father-of-two, from Bromsgrove, said: “It’s mixed emotions really after 30 years service. It’s my final day. I’m a little bit sad to be leaving, but that sadness is really just one of missing the work and the people that you come to know and have grown up with.”
He insisted he was still “feeling great” despite the struggles associated with the condition.
“The disease has progressed and I’m now using a wheelchair at the moment but still feel really lucky,” he said.
“I still have the use of my right side so still able to get about a little bit. You can’t choose much with this disease. There’s no known cause and no known cure and your life time chances of getting it is one in 300.
“If you dwell on that sort of stuff I just think it would bring you down, so the only thing you can control really is just how you choose to face it.
“I’m just determined not to be defined by the disease and to just keep fighting every day for myself and for Sharon and the children. I’m determined to be here as long as possible.”
His wife Sharon said: “I think Chris’ positive attitude keeps us all going. It’s been particularly tough this year with Covid.
‘‘We were locked down as a family and had to have friends do shopping for us, both tried to work from home, home school the children, so it has been difficult but we’re just getting on with it.”
The officer is currently undertaking ‘Mission 5000’ – a 5,000 step challenge which represents the number of people living with motor neurone disease every day.
He said: “The steps are tough. I’ve had two weeks to do them and gave myself a target of doing 350 to 400 a day.
‘‘It’s a great initiative by the Motor Neurone Disease Association to help raise awareness, but also raise the funds that it would have missed during the Covid pandemic.”
He said he would finish the last of the steps at the police’s HQ at Lloyd House in Birmingham.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Johnson