Film about injured Waseca officer who took Alaska hunt to premiere in Owatonna

Arik Matson's story continues, this time on the big screen.

Matson is the Waseca, Minn., police officer who was shot in the head while on duty in 2020. A 65-minute film titled, "The Weight of the Crown,'' chronicles his recovery.

The film, which includes coverage of a donated hunting trip Matson took to Alaska, premieres in a private screening Friday in Owatonna. Public showings begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Northwoods Cinema 10 in Owatonna. (The film subsequently will be available on YouTube.)

After he was wounded on Jan. 6, 2020, Matson was airlifted to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale for brain surgery. Four months later, he was moved to a neurological rehabilitation facility in Omaha. After seven months, he returned home.

In the years since, Matson's progress has been slow but steady.

Hometown Hero Outdoors, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit co-founded by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Chris Tetrault of Stillwater, who serves as the group's president, donates therapeutic outdoor adventures to veterans and first responders. The group awarded Matson and a friend an outdoor adventure of Matson's choosing, and he elected to travel to Alaska to hunt king eiders, a rare North American duck.

"[Hometown Hero Outdoors] and the king eider hunt they arranged kept me motivated to recover from my injuries as fast as I could," Matson said Thursday in a news release. "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."

Said Tetrault: "From the depths of despair to the heights of adventure, this documentary perfectly captures Arik's unbreakable spirit. The film follows the Matson family's yearslong journey from injury to triumph. It was [Hometown Hero Outdoors' honor and privilege to be a part of telling this story — Arik is an inspiration to everyone he meets."

Dale Mord filmed and produced the documentary at Rogue Productions in St. Paul.

For information about the film's screenings and about Hometown Hero Outdoors, see hometownherooutdoors.org/.