Monroeville native doesn't let brain tumor stop career in law enforcement

Luke Skledar isn’t one to back down from a challenge. He was a skilled hockey player in high school and achieved a second-degree black belt in martial arts.

The Monroeville native, 22, took on another challenge after graduating from Gateway High School in 2020 — becoming the first member of his family to go into law enforcement.

“If it’s not challenging, then I won’t be trying hard enough,” he said.

During his training at Westmoreland County Community College’s Municipal Officer Training Academy, Skledar faced what would turn out to be his biggest challenge.

He began noticing frequent headaches, something he’d never experienced before. Then, during a training exercise, he lost sensation in his right leg and collapsed. He was taken to UPMC East in Monroeville, where a CAT scan revealed a bleeding tumor on the left side of his brain.

Skledar was rushed by helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian, where he underwent a five-hour surgery to remove 97% of the tumor that had been discovered. The next two weeks were spent recovering via physical, occupational and speech therapy.

“I had no strength in my right side for four days,” Skledar recalled. “But I said, ‘I’m not giving up, regardless. It’s not over until it’s over.’ It’s crazy to think that, within 24 hours, I went from healthy to not knowing if I could walk.”

Following a six-month hiatus, Skledar returned to the police academy with only a month to go in the program, graduating in November 2023.

“It was a little tough to walk back into that building, but it was nice to be back,” he said. “That whole time I was recovering, I was determined not to give up. This is what I wanted to do, and you get so passionate about it, that’s what your mind is set on.”

Skledar credited some of the self-discipline he learned through martial arts with helping him through the recovery process, along with police academy instructors Don Hess and Bart Lemansky, who were both with him when he collapsed.

“They checked in on me the whole time,” Skledar said. “I remembered that during our drills, Mr. Lemansky would say, ‘When you think you’re about to quit, you have 60% more in you.’ ”

After graduating from the academy, Skledar secured a part-time job with the Swissvale Police Department before being offered a full-time position in February with the Plum Borough Police Department.

“Luke distinguished himself with outstanding performances on his civil service examination, physical agility test and oral interview,” Plum Detective Joseph Little said. “Luke has shown resolve. It demonstrates he’s not afraid of a challenge. These are extremely desirable traits in a young police officer.”

Skledar said he’s ready for the new challenge.

“I don’t like a job that’s the same every day,” he said. “I like to be under pressure. I like big tasks.”