There’s no reminder he wore blue for more than 20 years, except for the red raw, overbearing pain he suffers everyday.
Michael Thornbury has complex post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
The former police officer blamed his downward spiral on the traumatic experiences he faced while working in the traffic crash investigation unit.
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READ NOW‘My worst day is every day when something reminds me of what I have seen, smelt, touched, dealt with,’ Mr Thornbury said.
The 45-year-old was medically retired from the force in 2012.
From 1991 to 2012, the father of four saw things he can’t erase from his memory.
‘I could tell you story after story involving people who have died,’ he said.
‘I have seen plane crashes and had to crawl on my hands and knees to find body parts.
‘I’ve been to murder-suicides and I’m left dealing with bodies.’
Mr Thornbury said he joined the police force to help people.
He was prepared to do all he could to help but didn’t realise the cost to his own mental health. He said throughout his training, PTSD was never discussed ” if anything, he said it was the complete opposite.
‘They were trying to shock us into a world of reality, a world of police,’ Mr Thornbury said.
‘We had to go to an autopsy, we saw people with their heads blown off, people who had been eaten by crocodiles’