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'I Have To Forgive:' Wife Of NYPD Detective Nearly Dragged To His Death Speaks Out

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An NYPD officer was nearly dragged to his death in Brooklyn last June.

CBS2's Kristine Johnson recently sat down with the wife of Detective Dalsh Veve for an in-depth look at what her life is like now, and what questions she holds about the future as her husband fights for his life.

"There was cops outside asking for me, and from that day on everything has been kind of flipped upside down," Esther Veve recalled of the moment in June when her life changed.

It all started when her husband responded to a call in Brooklyn and encountered teens in a stolen car. As he questioned them, the car sped off and dragged Officer Veve for two and a half blocks.

Surveillance video from nearby showed the crashed car and officers rushing to Veve's aid. His injuries were devastating.

"I recall thinking to myself, 'I hope he's alive'," Esther said.

He spent weeks in a medically induced coma. Lately, he's showing some signs of progress. He can't talk, but Esther says he's able to put his thumbs up.

"Anyone who walks in his room can tell he's fighting," she said.

Meanwhile, Esther's facing battles of her own. The holidays, she says, were especially difficult.

"We both enjoy decorating and doing things as a family as much as we can," she tearfully told CBS2's Johnson. She says she must also stay strong for the couple's three-year-old daughter.

"She touches daddy's boo boo all the time," Esther said. "She's very protective of her dad."

Asked if she harbored any anger, she said she has to "forgive and move onto the most important things, which is to take care of my husband, focus on my family."

In an emotional ceremony this past October, Officer Veve was promoted to the rank of detective. The nine-year veteran had 350 arrests and was recognized nearly two dozen times for meritorious duty. His wife and daughter accepted on his behalf.

Esther says she looks at her husband's injuries as temporary.

"I think that's what helps me get by," she said. "I see it as a stop in our plan. It's not an end."

Detective Veve is currently in a rehab facility. His wife has taken leave of her own job as a nurse to care for him.

Meanwhile, the Detectives' Endowment Association's Widows' and Children's Fund is assisting with medical costs.

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