WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Baylor University police officer who went in for what was expected to be a routine neck surgery last month was left paralyzed, his department now raising money to support his family.

Joe Gongora has been with the Baylor Police Department since 2019.

He underwent neck surgery to relieve numbness in his arm and hand, but complications following the procedure left him paralyzed from the neck down."His spinal cord started swelling up a lot. That cut off some of those connections between his brain and his muscles, and so that left him unable to use anything below his neck - he can't move his legs and he can't move his arms," said his son, Josiah Gongora.'A day by day process'Assistant Chief Zackary McVey said while they're trying to remain hopeful that he'll one day be able to return to doing what he loves, the road ahead remains uncertain."Right now it's a day by day process of doing what Joe can handle, as far as the rehab process goes, and then some days are good and some days are less good," McVey shared.