Lived Experience: Laurie White

While stationed with the RCMP in Kitimat, B.C. in 1998, Laurie was shot in the right leg by a sex offender wielding a sawed-off .303 rifle. The damage was so severe that her leg had to be amputated five inches below her knee. After only ten months of rehabilitation, Laurie passed the PARE (the obstacle course test required for all members) and made an unprecedented return to full, unrestricted general policing duties with a prosthetic leg.

Laurie candidly shares her experiences as a first responder navigating mental health issues and life with a permanent physical disability. While Laurie’s journey began as one of trauma, loss, and grief, it evolved into one of hope, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.