Today, the sound of a ringing phone woke me up out of a deep sleep.
It was our local school, calling with a two-hour delay due to road closures.
The road closures were related to a fatal car-chase which ended with the death of a sheriff's deputy. The suspect was still at large, just miles away from our home.
By the time the kids caught their buses, the suspect was apprehended, and the deputy killed was identified.
He was a 36 year old husband and father of three children, ages 4, 7 and 10. What started as a routine traffic stop turned into tragedy within minutes.
During a press conference, the sheriff and other deputies could barely hold back their tears. It was heart wrenching to watch.
This afternoon, another call from the schools came through, saying our kids were being held due to a second suspect at large, believed to be in the vicinity of our high school and junior high. Elijah texted me in fear, wondering why all the police, why the delay (no information was given to the kids).
He just got home, safe but scared. The second suspect is still loose, and I have been hearing sirens outside for the past two hours.
You read about this on the news often, but today the reality has come to my hometown, and I hate it. Fear, despair, tragedy...all the result of a stupid decision and most likely related to drugs/alcohol.
Today, my heart aches for the wife and children and co-workers of this deputy who gave his life for the protection of his community.
Today, I will hold my own husband and kids tightly, and thank God for another day of being together.
Today, I will remember to be thankful for those who don't think twice about protecting families like mine from criminals who would harm us.
9 comments:
WOW!
I can't even imagine what you were going through when you got those calls. It saddens me to hear that the officer lost his life. I'll pray for his wife & children.
Glad your babies are safe & sound.
What a scarey day. I hope the right people are brought to justice without anymore harm to anyone.
I understand 100%.
My heart breaks for his family.
I join you tonight in counting our blessings.
It all seems so senseless. Saying a prayer for his wife and children...
I honestly just got choked up... at the horrible, senseless loss of a human who dedicated their life to protect others...
& that innocent people were put in the path of fear waiting for people "at large" to be caught...
what a scary world we live in...
My heart breaks for that officer's family. Those poor children will grow up without their father now. Unfortunately we see this sort of thing far too often here in Baltimore. It is devastatingly sad. I'm so sorry that your own family was caught up in that tragedy.
Hugs all around.
I saw facebook status updates about this situation and they broke my heart. I'm keeping his family and all families in the area in my prayers.
This breaks my heart. And now I'm going to check on my sleeping children and marvel at their sweet, dreaming faces. And be thankful. I'm so sorry for your town, Heather.
My mom taught this officer's daughter in preschool, knew him from dropoffs and pickups. She's been distraught ever since hearing about this, as have I. So much more awful when tragedy like this is specific, though certainly not nearly as awful as for that family. My heart hurts hurts hurts for them. It's been a week to make one wonder about senseless loss in other ways as well. Tough stuff.
Post a Comment