On June 3, Pickerill was shot five times by retired J'Town officer Rick Koenig as the two argued from their respective driver's seats. Koenig says the verbal spat was over who had the right of way at the four way stop alongside the Stony Brook Kroger.

Koenig and his wife claim Pickerill was pointing his gun at them and that Koenig fired in self defense. No other witnesses have come forward to say they saw the actual shooting.

"There had to be a lot of people in that parking lot that day," says Pickerill's sister Roxann Marling, "And for the only two witnesses to be Rick Koenig and his wife, it just doesn't seem possible."

51 days after the shooting, Marling is back in Louisville from her home in Bloomington, Illinois to see and take care of her brother at University Hospital. She, her six year old daughter Hanna, and Pickerill's fiance, Toby Kubas, accepted my invitation to stop by WHAS11 on July 23 on their way to the hospital. They did not seek media attention, but were very cooperative in answering my many questions.

"This becomes such a routine part of your life now," Kubas said, "And you hope that it is not forever."

Yet, in the same breath, Kubas acknowledges that Pickerill's debilitating injuries are in most ways, permanent. Once an infection and fever are brought under control, doctors will perform at least the seventh surgery on Pickerill since the shooting, this one to put a shunt in his head to drain fluid from his brain. It is permanent.

The only question is, what is the extent of his brain damage? Kubas is a nurse practitioner who has learned far more about neurology than she ever wanted to know.

"But, obviously, it's going to be a huge part of the rest of my life," Kubas flatly states, "and, that's okay, too."

"I'm not going to run. He's been a part of my life since we were kids."

Kubas and Pickerill met 17 years ago when both were hired to work at a Rally's drive-thru on Bardstown Road. He was a 16 year old Shawnee High student. She was a 14 year old student at Assumption High. They have been together ever since and have lived together for the last ten years.

When she enters his hospital room, Kubas reminds Pickerill who she is, what day it is, and shares the latest news in the family life. She says Pickerill will occasionally squeeze her hand or grimace, but she doesn't know if those movements are voluntary.

"You have to wonder, what's going on in his head, that he just can't tell us," Kubas shakes her own head. Does he have nightmares? Is he afraid, alone, anxious or in pain?

"I do tell him everything is going to be okay, that he's getting stronger and we're proud of him," Kubas manages to smile. "And, he needs to keep working harder. We try to give him lots of words of encouragement."

The community has given the family much encouragement. Kubas and Marling both say that people will also approach them to tell them their personal run-in's with Koenig during his twenty years on the Jeffersontown Police Department (he retired in May). They have heard those stories, but say they don't want to fuel that fire. What they are most passionate about is finding someone who can give an independent account of the facts of that fateful day.

"(The Koenig's) are not credible witnesses," Kubas explains, "of course they're going to blame it on Darren."

Kubas says for a long time she did not even know that her fiance had a gun, but says he needed it to protect himself and the inventory in his Hummer from his small business, (he installs safety equipment for the elderly).

"Do I think Darren pulled a gun? Absolutely not." Kubas is adament. "And, I don't say that because of our situation. I know Darren. I know him very well. He would not pull a gun unless he felt that he needed to use it, which he did not, nor did he get the chance."

Police do not believe Pickerill fired his 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Koenig had a similar gun which police believe was fired six to eight times.

I address the family's questions about Pickerill's gun in my previous blog.

Kubas and Marling are appreciative of the respect and concern shown by new Jeffersontown Police Chief Rick Sanders, who took the reins in February, the same month Koenig retired. They say he has an open door policy for the family and has rearranged his schedule to accomodate them.

"We can come in and ask any question we want at any given time."

Kubas seems to relish having some control in a whirlwind where everything else is in turmoil.

"He's following policy and procedure and that makes us feel very confident that he's doing everything he's supposed to do."

So, they track the investigation and hope that Koenig is held accountable. But, most of their time is spent tending to Darren Pickerill, whom they acknowledge will have "lots of limitations," physical and mental impairments.

They say the U of L physicians and staff have been wonderful, but the family is doing their own research on brain injuries and plans to reach out to the brain injury association.

Kubas says Pickerill will be on antibiotics for six months. When one bullet entered the right frontal lobe of his brain, it introduced bacteria from hair follicles and Pickerill has been fighting infections in his brain.

"It did not exit. It actually fragmented. So, it shattered his skull on the right side."

Part of Pickerill's skull has been removed to relieve pressure. He will eventually need a prosthesis to take its place.

Darren Pickerill's 34th birthday was marked in the hospital with balloons and the matter of fact commitment from the people who love him to deal with his fate.

"You don't have a choice. It is what it is, unfortunately," Kubas said. "It's just the reality of things and this is how he's going to be because he was at a four way stop at Kroger's."