SANTA FE, Texas — A Houston police captain said Officer John Barnes is doing a lot better after he was shot in the arm during a deadly school shooting in Santa Fe.
His family is optimistic about his recovery after his heroic acts at Santa Fe High School.
As of Friday morning, Barnes condition remains in critical but stable condition. He is resting at Jennie Sealy Hospital.
Captain Jim Dale says despite some scares, they are relieved to learn that Barnes right arm will recover from the injury.
“His wife Ashley is incredible, she's got an energetic spirit, bubbly with all that chaos,” said Dale. “And you know, the children who have to go to school, and they've got their activities to do, she's handling it well."
Dale says Barnes won numerous awards for his work stopping juvenile sex crimes. Barnes also loved helping his kids and many others.
"That was his passion with children, every time I met him, he loved work but the first thing he'd say when I said what's going on? He'd say, oh I'm going camping with my kids, my daughter or son's got this, and then talk about work. That's just who he is."
That work didn’t stop when Barnes was off the clock.
Neighbors like John Van De Ver say he would watch over kids while they played baseball or played in the street.
"John and his wife would always put out the orange cones so that the cars that speed by would slow down and the kids would play up there all the time," said Van De Ver.
And what he did to protect kids at Santa Fe High School would never be forgotten.
"His wife is like, well he didn't do anything that anybody else wouldn't do," said Van De Ver. "And I said, I know, this is what John was, this is who he is, and we want people to remember that. He saved lives that day."
Captain Dale says the family has been overwhelmed with donations of food, but he says the best way to help Barnes is to donate blood.