Family and friends of Nottoway County Sheriff’s Officer and Lunenburg native Greg Tanner celebrated Tanner returning home this weekend after sustaining serious injuries in a vehicle accident in September.

Tanner, a former Victoria police officer, was flown by State Police MedFlight to VCU Medical Center in Richmond with serious injuries following a Thursday, Sept. 28 single vehicle accident.

According to a previous Dispatch report concerning the accident, Tanner was “traveling westbound … responding to a call when he ran off the right side of the road in a curve, striking a stump then a tree on the driver’s side of the car.”

Tanner spent 41 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after his hospitalization and was moved to rehab with multiple therapy teams, Tanner’s sister, Kristin Peebles said.

“According to his team of doctors, he completed his in-patient extensive rehabilitation program much quicker than expected,” Peebles said.

Brook Tanner, Tanner’s wife, said he returned to his home Sunday night in Nottoway County.

Brook noted that Tanner walks with a cane and has some difficulty with speech, but can do tasks on his own such as getting dressed.

She said Tanner will undergo outpatient therapy between eight months to a year, but could expect to be able to return to work in approximately nine months.

“Everybody’s doing great,” Brook said, noting that Tanner has also been able to see their two children, a four-year-old daughter and 10-month old daughter.

Peebles, a teacher at Victoria Elementary School, has operated a Facebook page, “Updates on Greg,” detailing his recovery process. The page has more than 1,400 likes.

Peebles said Victoria Fire and Rescue hauled its Engine 2 with lights to Tanner’s homecoming and that Art Teacher Jean Kunath with Central High School’s art class made a banner for him.

Peebles said Tanner’s homecoming has been a celebration for her family and friends, and thanked those who support Tanner during his hospitalization.

“We are forever grateful for the kindness shown to us in support of Greg during his recovery,” Peebles said. “Every card, every comment and post on Facebook, and every text message was read and gave us much encouragement during an extremely difficult time. The medical team who treated Greg, the first-responders who transported him, and the community members who continuously prayed for Greg and offered their support are the reason he is with us today