Monday, May 13, 2024
Brandi Kamper didn鈥檛 give it a second thought when she heard on her radio that a fellow
officer had been shot. In 2016, the former Army combat medic was a tactical medic
for the Fort Worth Police Department. She and every other uniformed officer in the
area rushed to the scene where Officer Matt Pearce suffered seven gunshots from two
assailants he鈥檇 been chasing in West Fort Worth.
When Kamper and other officers arrived, they couldn鈥檛 find their fallen brethren. Despite the lurking danger of gunmen who had already shot a cop, Kamper and others yelled out for Pearce. When they found him, Kamper and Officer Jason Ricks, a former marine, set their fear aside and went about the business of treating him. Thanks to a series of perfectly aligned events and multiple heroes, Pearce eventually returned to duty. He was a guest at Kamper鈥檚 recent wedding.
Later this month, Kamper will be reaching another milestone: She鈥檒l be graduating with her Master of from The 鈥檚 Physician Assistant Program.
鈥淚 had a very small part in it,鈥� Kamper said of the effort to save Pearce鈥檚 life. 鈥淭he surgeons, the care flight people, the people who were out there before me 鈥� there鈥檚 so many things that God makes happen and then people just don鈥檛 realize it鈥檚 a miracle. I don鈥檛 have super skills. At the time, I was an EMT basic. I was a combat medic in the Army, but I had never treated someone with nine holes in them. But for the grace of God that he lived.鈥�
Kamper isn鈥檛 your traditional PA student. She鈥檚 a 42-year-old mother of two, with
an abundance of life experience. The common thread in all her career choices is service.
It runs in her blood 鈥� her mother is a retired deputy chief for FWPD. She served 11
years in the U.S. Army and 15 in FWPD. PA school, she said, was a continuation of
that spirit of putting others first.
鈥淓very step of the way I pray about it, and I ponder it, and talk with family,鈥� Kamper said. 鈥淗ow can I take this to the next level? I鈥檓 really a fan of trying to challenge myself continually and trying to up the ante of my service. And so that鈥檚 what led me to PA. I think when you have a servant鈥檚 heart, truly that prepares you for any type of medicine.鈥�
Kamper has already landed a job as a pediatric trauma surgery PA at a local hospital, a role she鈥檚 uniquely prepared to take on.
鈥淏randi Kamper was an inspiration to all of us,鈥� said PA Lauren Dobbs, chair of the School of Health Professions鈥� Physician Assistant Studies department. 鈥淪he was motivational for her classmates and cheered them along the entire way through their academic journey. She was respectful to all and worked well with students and faculty alike to achieve her goals. PA Kamper鈥檚 professional and educational journey has prepared her every step of the way for her incredible new pediatric trauma surgery position.鈥�
After her experience with Pearce, she was lavished with media attention, and named among the Great Women of Texas by the Fort Worth Business Press.
Even as she spoke with reporters and community members, she did so for unselfish reasons.
鈥淚 hope that I have been able to be a good steward and representative of police officers,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e get very bad press for a very good reason out of some of the incidents of that have come out. My sincere hope is that I always tell people that there were miracles that happened that day 鈥� that God saved his life. I was very fortunate enough to get the front seat of seeing an actual miracle.
鈥淪econdly, I very sincerely hope that people have been able to see even just one good example of a police officer because 99.9% of police officers are like me: They鈥檙e just moms and daughters and sons out there trying to do the best they can,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚鈥檓 willing to put myself out there if I can make just a small ripple in that relationship in a positive manner between police and the public.鈥�
Despite being under the spotlight for a time, she鈥檚 quick to credit others. During her time at HSC, she took on a den mother role for class.
鈥淚 would not have made it through without the help of people who studied with me, taught me, guided me, encouraged me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know it without a shadow of the doubt that I could not do this on my own. This is not an individual sport, PA school and medical school. You either find a team or you鈥檙e done. I will definitely stay in touch with several of my instructors and my friends that I鈥檝e made along the way. They鈥檙e like family now.鈥�
From - Our People by Eric Griffey