A 26-year Moore Police Department veteran who patrolled streets by day and refereed Friday-night football games is now in a wheelchair, and his community is rallying to help.
Lt. Terrance Coleman was diagnosed with ALS in June. The disease progressed faster than anyone expected, according to Sgt. Jeremy Lewis, one of Coleman's closest friends at the department. Coleman now needs a wheelchair-accessible van just to leave his home.
The Moore Police Department and Nosh Restaurant Event Center are hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Coleman on Monday, Sept. 14, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Nosh, 200 SE 19th St., Suite B, in Moore. All proceeds go directly to Coleman and his family, according to KOKH.
The Moore Police Department said in a Facebook post that Coleman has spent 26 years serving the community and called the dinner an opportunity for neighbors to show up for him and his family.
The financial burden
Because ALS is not a work-related injury, Coleman is personally responsible for his medical bills and the cost of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, KOCO reported.
"It progressed faster than what we could keep up with, so now he can't just get inside his vehicle," Lewis told KOCO in a story published Aug. 6. "This is very expensive, and it's not a work-related injury, so he's on the hook for medical bills and everything, including finding a vehicle he can ride in."
As of mid-August, Coleman is burning through his sick leave to stay on the payroll. Moore PD's retirement benefits change in July 2027, making it financially critical for Coleman to remain employed until then. Once his sick leave runs out, fellow officers plan to donate their own leave to bridge the gap, Lewis said.
More than a badge
Beyond his police career, Coleman refereed high school football on Friday nights after his shifts, working his way up to 6A games across Oklahoma. He moved up fast. Lewis described him as part of a great officiating crew that worked games all over the state.
How to help
Moore FOP Lodge 131 launched a GoFundMe campaign on Aug. 4 to fund a wheelchair-accessible van for Coleman. Those who cannot attend the Sept. 14 dinner can donate there directly.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive motor neuron disease that affects nearly 35,000 people nationwide, according to KFOR. It causes degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Upcoming
- Monday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. — Spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Lt. Terrance Coleman at Nosh Restaurant, 200 SE 19th St., Suite B, Moore. All proceeds benefit Coleman and his family. For information, call (405) 676-6674.
- Ongoing — GoFundMe: Help Lt. Terrance Coleman Maintain Independence, organized by Moore FOP Lodge 131.
