The Norwalk community is rallying around a beloved veteran police officer who recently had a stroke.

Lt. Praveen John, 51, is in his 30th year with the Norwalk Police Department. While off duty on Jan. 12, John had a stroke that left him hospitalized and unable to work.

"He was taken to the emergency department and sometime after that, was taken to a rehab facility where he currently is. And he’s making progress, small strides, but he’s got a long way to go," says Lt. Joe Dinho.

With John currently unable to work, his longtime friend and colleague started a GoFundMe campaign to help his family. Sgt. Lee Young wrote, "Praveen is a very proud man who needs help during this time," adding he has a wife and six kids.

"Above all he’s a great family man. He has amazing family values and he’s always been an incredibly hard worker to take care of his family," says Dinho.

John joined the department as an officer in 1991. He's served in a number of roles, including being part of the first group of community policing officers.

"He has a way of making you feel welcome, he has a way of making you communicate with him and he’s just a very friendly person and easygoing," Dinho says.

The lieutenant also served as the department's public information officer. He was previously interviewed by News 12 Connecticut.

"Having worked for him at one point, he was my lieutenant in patrol, Praveen always has had a very calming presence. He could arrive at a scene that's maybe a little bit chaotic and hectic, and he just had a way of calming everything down," Dinho says.

John is currently the director of combined dispatch for the department, a position he's held for several years. His co-workers are optimistic he'll return to it.

"We’re just hoping and praying for a speedy recovery so we can have him here, back at work, and see his friendly face every day," Dinho says.