052 - Jeff Mathes - Know Their Stories: Voices from March 27, 2023

In this episode, we sit down with Sergeant Jeff Mathes of the Metro Nashville Police Department—one of the first officers on the scene at The Covenant School on March 27, 2023. Jeff walks us through the sights, sounds, and split-second decisions of that day. He speaks candidly about what it means to be a leader in a crisis—and healing through accepting that there was nothing he could have changed about his actions that day to save more lives.

Jeff opens up about returning home that day to his family and the moment he heard a clip of the fire alarm on the radio the next morning that triggered a mental break.

Awarded the Medal of Valor and recognized in the Oval Office, Jeff reflects on why the relationships formed through this tragedy mean more than any honor, and the personal truth he’s had to embrace: “You can’t live your life based on this event that was one day of your life.”

Notes:

5:58: How Jeff got into law enforcement/degree at Harding University

42:47: "I need to be able to do the job that I expect my people to do."

45:35: Understanding the gravity of the situation and that his actions will be scrutinized or recognized

1:15:29: Jeff's mindset on the way to the school and preparing himself

1:21:12: The rest of Jeff's day and returning home

1:24:24 The following day having a mental break because a radio ad started with a fire alarm sound

1:29:25: Pushing through mental trauma by accepting that he did his job and couldn't have changed the other outcomes

1:35:10: Jeff awarded the Medal of Valor by President Biden at the White House

1:39:30: "What interests me is the relationships I've formed from this event and the community I serve, not the awards or papers for my desk."

1:40:35: Jeff's advice for others that have gone through similar incidents