Local lifeguard plans 30 mile swim to raise money for injured trooper

SALISBURY, N.C. (WBTV) - A lifeguard at Eaman Park Pool in Salisbury is planing to undertake a 30 mile/24-hour swim to raise money for a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper who was injured in an accident.

Cooper Sever hopes to raise $30,000 dollars for the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. He will begin on July 21 and swim for 24 hours.

Trooper Christopher L. Wooten, a 14-year North Carolina State Highway Patrol veteran is recovering from a crash that paralyzed him from the neck down.

Trooper Wooten was involved in a July 2019 motorcycle crash as he was pursuing a suspect.

Officials say Wooten, who was on a motorcycle, was trying to stop a vehicle when he collided with a second vehicle. The first vehicle that he was trying to pull over kept going and did not remain at the scene.

Police say the driver of the vehicle who left the scene, Dontay Kilgo, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, felony flee to elude, reckless driving, failure to heed to blue lights, driving while license revoked, and possession of marijuana.

“Chris was transported to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta,” according to a Facebook post. “It hasn’t been an easy road for Chris and his family. More operations and months of rehabilitation. His wife Sharon never left his side. Those who know Chris, know he’ll brighten your worst of days or give you the shirt off his back. Thanks to Shepherd, he is still with us – still humble, still smiling, still hopeful.”

The money raised by Cooper’s swim will help Wooten and others impacted by spinal cord injury. Like to help? Donation website: https://www.shepherd.org/giving/swim-243

Event website: https://swim243.com/

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