LA GRANGE, Ky. — On Highway 53, in La Grange on Friday, a homecoming fit for a hometown hero awaited Louisville Metro Police Officer Nickolas Wilt.
With open arms, hundreds of his neighbors lined the streets to welcome him home--a gesture nearly four months in the making.
On April 10, the rookie officer, 26, responded to a mass shooting at Old National Bank. According to police and body camera video, Wilt ran toward the gunman. He was hit by a bullet in the head.
Many call his recovery a miracle.
"I think it has got to lift his spirits tremendously. I can't imagine being in the hospital that long and finally getting to get home," Scott Childers, a La Grange resident, said.
For Childers, it was hard to stay composed talking about the miracle that brought Wilt home.
"It's just been an absolute miracle. Obviously, there's a God and everybody out there's been praying for him," he said.
Among the hundreds in the crowd were Wilt's grandparents, Johana and Russell Wilt.
"All of a sudden people started coming, and you could see in their faces they were here for Nick," Johana said.
Wilt's grandfather Russell described the moment as "bittersweet."
"Seeing all the people and seeing all the support, and knowing Nick before and seeing Nick go by, waving, it was emotional," he said.
Dawning the same "Wilt's Warriors" gear as many others, they describe the moment as both surreal and a miracle.
"He has a lot of spirit and fight," Russell Wilt said. "He's fought since April 10, but that's our Nick."
Maybe the only thing greater than the community's support for Wilt is his family's love and admiration for the young law enforcement officer.
"He's been quiet but we can see where he started to come back to himself, wanting to get the things done," Johana said. "We could see the will in him."
The two said Wilt's plans for this afternoon were to garner some peace and quiet, a steak and a nap.
They also shared with WHAS11 the family's wishes for the community going forward.
"Not to forget about him, and they won't, not these people," Russell said. "They're such good people and they won't forget him."
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