Galesburg police officer Patrick Kistler is hoping to give back this Christmas time to a person who has impacted his life.
Kistler has organized a department fundraiser for a former GPD officer who has fallen on hard times.
Brett Knabel served on the force from 2001-2007 before taking a deputy position with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.
“He worked up until about October of last year when he came down with a bout of seizures and they took him off the street,” Kistler says. “They did some tests and then they found out that he had a malignant tumor in his brain.”
Knabel has undergone treatments and even a surgery last month to remove part of the tumor to make room for more growth.
Kistler says helping to cover expensive medical bills and normal family costs is the least he can do to help in a tough situation.
“He would do it for me in a heartbeat and do it for anyone else here,” Kistler says.
Those wanting to donate outside of the department can contact GPD.
Kistler says Lake County officials have also been raising money and provided Christmas presents for the family last year.
Knabel is 45 years old and is married with three children.
