Injured officer’s story to premiere locally

Four years to the day that he was shot in the head, a film about former police officer Arik Matson will open in Owatonna.

“The Weight of the Crown” follows Matson’s story of dedication, service, perseverance and overcoming obstacles.

The first public screenings will be offered Jan. 6 in four theaters at Northwoods Cinema 10, beginning at 10 a.m., 10:05 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.

The night before, a private premiere will be held at 5:30 p.m.

Matson was shot in the head on Jan. 6, 2020, while on duty and responding to a call in Waseca. He was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale for brain surgery and ongoing treatment.

Four months and three Twin Cities hospitals later, he moved to a neurological rehabilitation facility in Omaha, Neb., where he worked to relearn how to use the left side of his body – all of that, as COVID restrictions kept him from seeing his family.

Seven months later, he returned home.

Meanwhile, Hometown Hero Outdoors, a non-profit that provides veterans and first responders with therapeutic outdoor adventures, had its eye on Matson.

He was selected as the first recipient of their Legacy Trip: a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventure of his choosing.

Matson decided to go hunt the King Eider – a super-rare sea duck – in Alaska. He used the trip as motivation to work hard every day on his recovery.

HHO and several other organizations planned the trip for two years.

His group, including his uncle and best friend, finally visited Alaska’s St. Paul Island in January 2023. Everyone on the trip found and harvested a King Eider, including Matson himself.

He then joined HHO in selecting the second Legacy Trip recipient, an outdoor adventure that is currently in the planning stages.

“The HHO, and the King Eider hunt they arranged, kept me motivated to recover from my injuries as fast as I could,” Matson said. “It was a dream trip, so I worked as hard as I could to be as ready as possible. Along the way, we met people that became lifelong friends.

“I’ll be forever grateful for what they’ve done for me and my family, and I look forward to helping other veterans and first responders accomplish their loftiest goals and experience similar thrills,” he said.

The 65-minute documentary was filmed and produced by Dale Mord and the team at Rogue Productions, based in St. Paul.

It will be available for download on YouTube after the premiere.