Herbert Davis, the Milwaukee police officer shot in the line of duty who left the hospital Friday adorned in Cincinnati Bengals clothing, got a dose of great news Sunday about his favorite team.
The Cincinnati Bengals shocked the favored Kansas City Chiefs in overtime of the AFC championship game and punched the franchise's first ticket to the Super Bowl since the 1988 season. The Bengals and Rams will meet in Los Angeles in two weeks in Super Bowl LVI.
Davis, 26, wasn't alive the last time the Bengals won a playoff game, let alone reached the Super Bowl. His emotional reaction to the game-winning field goal was captured on video by his family.
"This whole road has been something," Davis said Monday.
Davis (known to loved ones by the name "Lewis") was born and has spent most of his life in Milwaukee, but he relocated to Ohio when he was very young, and he stayed until age 7, when his family moved back. Davis' father, also Herbert, now works in finance in Alaska but was born and raised in Ohio and has been a lifelong Bengals fan. The younger Herbert Davis was FaceTiming with the older when Evan McPherson's field goal gave the Bengals a 27-24 win.
"I'm a big Madden (video game) player, and of course I always use the Bengals so I can make them win the Super Bowl," the younger Davis said. "That would be a lifetime dream to see that (in real life). There's nothing aside from my (upcoming) wedding day that would make me happier."
Davis completed coursework at Milwaukee Area Technical College and joined the Police Department first as a police aide while completing a two-year apprenticeship program.
He was released Friday afternoon from Froedtert Hospital, where he was greeted by dozens of family members and fellow officers from the Milwaukee Police Department. He was asked about the Bengals gear, drawing laughs and applause from his response of "Two more wins."
One day earlier, Davis was dispatched to check on a man who was slumped over in a car on West St. Paul Avenue, near North 21st Street, about 6:30 p.m. During the welfare check, police say the man who had been in the car pulled a gun and shot at Davis, who then returned fire and wounded the man.
As the man stole the officer's squad car and drove away, nearby bystanders helped the officer until Milwaukee Fire Department paramedics arrived. The man fled in the squad car and crashed into another driver at West Clybourn and North 17th streets and ran from the scene before being arrested about a half-block away, police said.
Jetrin J. Rodthong, 22, has been charged with eight felonies in the matter.
Davis said he wasn't able to get into specifics about his recovery but noted that he's in good spirits and taking it day by day. A GoFundMe was started to offset expenses.
"The family support around me and getting to feel the love from everyone in the department and, obviously, everyone in my inner circle (has been amazing)."
Davis has been to several Bengals games, most recently a battle against the Packers in Cincinnati earlier this year, a 25-22 Packers overtime win in Week 4. Oddly enough, McPherson missed two field goals in that loss, and Mason Crosby was able to kick the game winner for the Packers despite missing three attempts of his own in that game.
McPherson has only missed twice the rest of the year.
"I left very upset," Davis said. "I've never been through a worse roller-coaster ride in my life with such a bad ending, at least in my eyes."
What if, after all this, Davis were to get his hands on Super Bowl tickets? He's thought about it.
"I got emotional when they won; I can only imagine that reaction," he said. "I'd probably faint."
JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.
