OKMULGEE, Okla. — Larry Porter is a 30-year-old father of three daughters and stepfather to two stepsons, with a promising law enforcement career. He woke up on Sept. 1, and he could not move.

Porter was taken to the hospital in Okmulgee and later by ambulance to Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, where he was in the Intensive Care Unit for 19 days because his potassium level was extremely low.

On Tuesday, Porter was transferred to Kaiser Rehabilitation Center on the Hillcrest medical campus, but he said his doctors don’t know why he can’t move.

“I want to know what’s going on with me so if anyone else around the world [ends up] in my shoes, they can figure it out,” Porter said. “Like I said, I’m 30 years old. I woke up on September 1st and I was paralyzed and I don’t have [answers].”

Porter said that after multiple tests and five days of very painful infusion treatments for low potassium, his team of doctors still do not have a diagnosis.

His family and his law enforcement community are hurting for him.

”Actually, they’re not taking it very well,” Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Tribal Deputy Police Chief Dennis Northcross said. “They don’t like the thought of being helpless and there’s nothing they can do to help.”

Northcross said the officers miss the fellowship and comradery they share with Porter.

“Every officer from every shift, at one time or another, I believe, has been up there to visit Larry,” he said.

That’s something both Northcross and Porter’s family said have lifted his spirits.

“I didn’t know I had an impact on my department,” Porter said. “I thought I was doing an everyday job, taking care of people.”

Christi Watson is Porter’s mother. She said his children were able to visit him on Tuesday night, now that he’s in rehabilitation.

“His littlest one Maya, she’s 4 years old and she was crying,” she said. “And I said, ’Maya, what’s wrong?’ and she said, ‘I just want my daddy better and I want my daddy at home.’ So, this is very hard on his kids. It’s very hard on his family, his community, his police force.”

Northcross said Porter’s fellow officers are raising money continuously for his family’s needs and his needs – as his medical expenses pile up.

“Be heavy on the prayers,” Northcross said.

A GoFundMe page is set up to help with Porter’s expenses.

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