New Jersey State Trooper Sergeant First Class Sean William Acker was born in Abington, Pennsylvania and raised in Howell Township, New Jersey alongside his older brother, Jimmy, and his younger brother, Grant. His childhood was very social and fun, hanging out with friends, celebrating holidays and playing sports, such as soccer, baseball, basketball, and swimming. In the summers, Acker loved to spend time with his friends at his local swim club. Later in life, Acker and his wife, Lisa, met right before he became a recruit for the New Jersey State Police. She had been one of his instructors, having had five years under her belt already. About a year later, they happened to be at the same event and shared an undeniable connection. The pair have been inseparable since and now have two children together.
Inspired by his ambition to be a part of something bigger than his small circle and feel as though he could contribute to something good, Acker decided to enlist in the United States Air Force in 1998. The military provided a platform that showed him the power of hard work and dedication to a mission. Along his journey, Acker formed relationships that have lasted decades. He loved the training, deployments, and day-to-day life being in the military. Discipline and self-control were two of the first lessons that his basic training relentlessly concentrated on. He had goals to establish an identity and obtain a pathway to higher education. However, Acker’s true dream was to become a New Jersey State Trooper, and he worked to strengthen his resume through his service with the Air Force. He achieved becoming one of the original Ravens in the Air Force as well as the rank of Staff Sergeant before retiring and seamlessly transitioning into the NJSP because of the tools the military provided him. In 2006, Acker became a New Jersey State Trooper, accomplishing his dreams.
Acker was the head instructor for the physical training unit at the Academy, where he ran the recruits anywhere from five to ten miles per day. The impact of running on his hips eventually caused him to need a double hip replacement. Eight months later, Acker was ready to go back to full duty before he began having issues with his right leg again. Ten days after having a residual surgery to resolve the issue, he went into cardiac arrest caused by a blood clot that formed, which led to a pulmonary embolism. Because his heart stopped for a long period of time, Acker sustained a traumatic brain injury. He is still in recovery from the event, having been on a ventilator, formed compartment syndrome in his right leg, and received dialysis, among other physical injuries.
Acker currently resides in a rehabilitation center specializing in brain injuries in New Jersey. He loves aqua therapy, attending his children’s sporting events, hanging out with his friends and family, listening to football and baseball games, spending time outside, and frequenting the beach with his wife, mother, and other Troopers so he can feel the sand on his feet and the sun on his face. He would like to thank his children, Connor and Samantha, his wife, Lisa, his mother, Cyd, his brother and his girlfriend, Grant and Katie, his best friend and his wife, John and Jessica, and their child, Kellan, his Aunt Sue and Uncle Stas, his parents-in-law, Linda and Steve, his brother-in-law and his wife, Dave and Dawn, and their children, Brianna and Bethany, as well as the entire Bryzowski family for their continuous support throughout his recovery process. Acker describes himself as honored to be a recipient of the Tunnel to Towers Smart Home Program. He is very grateful for all of his life experiences, however, having the opportunity to go home and thrive alongside his family and friends means the world to him. Finally, New Jersey State Trooper Sergeant First Class Sean William Acker would like to stress the fact that in a matter of seconds, one’s whole life can change and morph into a life that they never thought they would be living or want to live. However, he believes that everything happens for a reason and although he does not yet know what the reason for his accident was, he will continue to fight until he gets his answer. Additionally, he would like others to know that he is aware of the support that he has from his team and his family and he will never take it for granted. After everything, Acker appreciates life each day more than he did the previous day.
