One year later, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Tullier continues to defy the odds.

Nick has made tremendous strides in his recovery after being shot three times by a gunman who ambushed Baton Rouge police officers.

Nick’s father, James Tullier, says his son underwent major abdominal surgery last week because he’s been struggling with infection since the shooting.

“This surgery Wednesday should have hopefully corrected all of that, and that will allow the exit wound to go ahead and heal, and it won’t affect his therapies,” Tullier said.

Tullier says the doctors and therapists at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston have been awesome in their commitment to Nick and all their patients.

He says Nick is able to move his arms and legs, and about a month ago he even said the word hello out loud, which are strides Nick was never supposed to make.

“At times you see him when he’s working, struggling trying to move his arm. You see his fingertips turn white. These are things we were grunted could never happen ever again,” Tullier said.

Tullier says a year ago, doctors told them Nick would never survive, and even if he did, he would never walk or communicate again. But that couldn’t be further from the truth today. He says Nick is very much aware of what is going on around him, and they always let him know about messages of support and updates from the doctors.

“Everything that happens with Nick we make sure is discussed in front of him. We explain it to him, and we ask him do you understand and do you agree or disagree, and he lets us know,” Tullier said.

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