Many of you know how I feel about our Men in Blue, our troops, and our 1st responders.
My brother lost another partner/brother in the Pierce Co Sheriffs Dept. He was murdered while responding to a home invasion call.
His name was Daniel Mcartney. He leaves behind a wife and 3 young boys. He was 34 years old.
This is a bit of a read, but gives a perspective many can't comprehend. I can't say it was actually written by a fellow Deputy, but you'll get the point.
The following was written by one of the Pierce County Deputies. This is a Good example of the emotions and stress that we go through as law enforcement officers during these horrible tragedies.
Take a moment to read.
Last night I lost a brother, a friend.
It started with a call around midnight, I was cleaning up my kids’ art mess from the day.
“Dan’s been shot, it’s not looking goodâ€
Minutes later I was in uniform and in my patrol car headed to the scene.
I had kissed my wife goodbye and left quickly, I knew she had questions, but I didn’t have time.
The rain was pelting down, the wipers were on full speed.
The darkness pressed in from the outside, and the inside.
As I hit the freeway the all call message went out and I realized what I already knew, I wasn’t alone.
As I came into the area there was red and blue at every corner.
I added my lights to the darkness of the night, and the darkness knew we had arrived.
The call came over the radio, Dan was dead.
The voice dropped off the radio.
As I sat there on that dark night, I was alone to my thoughts.
I thought about his wife, she had probably been sleeping when she was awakened to the news.
I thought about his sons.
They’re about the same age as mine. How do you tell a kid that? How would my wife tell my kids?
I don’t cry, it’s just not something I do.
I sat there though on that cold dark night, and I did cry.
I thought about the years stolen from Dan’s sons, he and his wife’s dreams taken.
My thoughts turned to my family.
My wife hates my job, she always has. She worries.
I thought about my kids, I thought about them growing up, I want to be there.
I should quit, I told myself. The darkness smiled.
My wife has asked me to quit several times. I always tell her the same thing.
“Evil prevails when good men do nothing.â€
I work with a man who has that tattooed on his arm.
I’m not a tattoo guy, but I’ve always admired that tattoo.
I got home around 9 in the morning, I went to bed, but I didn’t sleep.
Dan died because evil men were doing evil things.
When everyone else was screaming and running and yelling for help, Dan came to help.
He didn’t just run towards the darkness, he stood there in defiance of it.
He knew the danger, we all do. I know he wasn’t afraid, because I know what he was like.
He was doing what he loved. He was fighting evil, he was helping the helpless.
I thought about how much poorer the world was without Dan.
Then I thought about how much richer the world was because of the lives Dan had saved, the evil men he had stopped, and the light he had brought into the darkness.
The world is a better place because Dan had lived in it, and he had done something to better it.
Men aren’t born as heroes, some die as heroes, but Dan lived as one.
I don’t know the words to console those close to Dan.
I know that I’ll always remember him.
To most of the world, he may be a news story, he may be a thought for a while.
But I will always remember him, for the hero he was, for the man that loved his family.
We wore blue together as brothers we stood against the darkness of evil in this world.
I know he still defies that darkness.
And I know that when the darkness raises its head again to bring sorrow and destruction into this world,
I and Dan’s other brothers in blue won’t hesitate to meet it head on.
If for nothing more than to be counted worthy as Dan showed he was.
And he’ll still be with us.
My hope is when people hear about Dan, about this night, that good men and women will step up, they will do their part, they’ll protect their community.
Evil prevails when good men do nothing.
My deepest sorrow to your family Dan, and may you rest in peace brother.
Keep holding the light.
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Topic: We lost another Deputy this week (Read 1363 times)