LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Lincoln police officer is forging relationships with schoolchildren as he rebuilds his life after being paralyzed.

52-year-old Jerome Blowers was hired in January as an entrance monitor at Kooser Elementary. This is his first job since flipping into an above-ground pool in 2014, leaving him paralyzed nearly everywhere except his arms and hands. The accident forced him to retire as a police officer after 22 years.

Blowers is establishing relationships with children after finding that he relates to children and enjoys spending time with them.

Teachers say they seek out Blowers to help students with math and social skills or just to be a friend. He says he instills positivity in children, especially ones who face similar disability-related challenges as he does.