When Fairy Meadow dad Barry McMurtrie speaks of his daughter, who was shot in the line of duty, he is brimming with pride.
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"She's been remarkable from the start," the pastor says of the 46-year-old police officer who has a raspy voice from the 15 pieces of shrapnel still lodged in her throat.
"Even while she was being dragged to safety she was shouting instruction to her colleague about what to do, to get out of the way," he said.
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Pastor McMurtrie, who leads the Northern Beaches Church of Christ in Fair Meadow, has been overwhelmed by the support he has received since January when his daughter Helen copped the bullet while attending a domestic dispute at Glen Innes.
"She's doing well. It's a long road to recovery," Mr McMurtrie said.
"The specialists said the bullet went in and then exploded into 22 pieces. Any one of those pieces could have killed her but they missed every part that was crucial."
The leading Senior Constable was shot alongside Sergeant Mark Johnston. He suffered a gunshot wound to the face.
The 74-year-old shooter later turned the gun on himself. He died at the scene.
Mr McMurtrie said his daughter still had 15 pieces of shrapnel in her throat because doctors were initially only able to remove five.
"They sent her home to build up strength and she goes back in late March," he said. "Two groups of specialists are deciding what would be best to do.
"The complications were that the gentleman involved made his own bullets, he was a full-time hunter, so they don't know how much lead is in her throat."
Mr McMurtrie said his daughter had always wanted to be a police officer and he was confident she would continue to help the people of Glen Innes, whatever her future holds.
"She's wanted to from when she was 12 years old. But she said she wouldn't go in at 19, because you needed to be more mature. She went in at 25.
"There's a long way to go yet but the police commissioner was very taken with her, he's asked her to talk about what she would like to do. She's very good in the community and is very involved in helping people."
Leading Constable McMurtrie will visit Fairy Meadow Community Centre at 10am on Sunday, March 10. She will share her story with her dad's congregation and anyone else interested in attending.
"We are a very informal church and anyone is welcome," Mr McMurrtrie said.
"Our members felt so deeply about this when it happened, so many thousands of Christians around the world were praying and thinking and felt so intensely for Helen."
