A Fitting Celebration
Yesterday was the funeral service and celebration of our Officer's life.
The funeral was absolutely beautiful. I felt myself starting to get tired as we convoyed over there, but it was well worth the lack of sleep.
I had worked the entire night shift before, finishing my shift at 0500hours. We were due to meet up and roll out at 0730hours, so I didn't go home - just changed out of my uniform at work, took a shower there (which I thought would be weird but wasn't, oddly), and hung out until then. By the time people started showing up, the Captain was organizing the cars in the parking lot and staging our patrol vehicles so we could just roll out one at a time, and we even got Largo PD to help with traffic control so we could all get out in one fell swoop.
Once in the vehicles, we all had radio communication and communicated the route, we had the front guy calling where we were going and the rear guy ensuring that all were caught up. It was amazing! There were at least 50 of our vehicles in the fleet in a row, rolling down the interstates on our way to the family's house.
We got to the family's house, staged right there, and after taking a minute to step out of the cars, joke around and bullshit with one another, we were back into the vehicles, lights flashing, for the convoy to the church. We watched as the limousines and hearse passed, and then we all rolled out, with a police escort. The line of flashing lights was amazing. There is no other way to describe it. So many people there to show their support for our fallen brother. I started to tear up just in the car and seeing all the flashing lights. I was truly moved.
Cars Lined to Convoy
We got to the church and parked, and made our way inside. The church service was just that - a church service - and while I'm not religious really, I still remembered the Our Father enough to recite it when it was time, and I still closed my eyes during the music to enjoy it. I have been to many funerals and they are all different, but they are all so very much alike.
Our Honor Guard ...
Then came the part where people spoke about Officer Valentin. His brother in law spoke - called him his brother - and that defintely got me started with the tears. He was so loved, by everyone. Everyone loved him. Next to speak was our Major, the Commander of Uniformed Services. Never in the two years that I've worked there have I seen him even show emotion like that. But he was getting choked up and ... damn. I lost it. Completely lost it. This is the second Officer we've lost in the line of duty since I've worked here, and he made a promise then as he did now - that We. Will. Never. Forget.
(He also mentioned how our first Officer's family was at this service, to show their support. That was also so moving to me.)
Finally we walked out of the church, and every single uniformed Officer - our Officers, rival security Officers, and at least four nearby jurisdictions of law enforcement Officers - were saluting Michael as his casket was settled into the hearse, to the sounds of Amazing Grace via bagpipes. It was so beautiful. So. Beautiful.
After that was his last call on the radio. They called out to him ... "Operations to Echo 265..." three times, made a few other calls over the radio, and at the very end, advised him to rest well, his work was done. Everyone lost it ... hearing the words ... was exactly how I heard it the night he fell. I'll never forget it, as long as I live.
We all stood by for a while to comfort one another, hugging, crying, and all. I thanked a few people who had left the agency for coming, because their support means a lot. And then we were on our way back to the Ops center to pick up our cars and go our separate ways - some of us had to work, some of us had to sleep, all of us had to heal.
A few hours later was the celebration of Michael's life at a nearby pub that we frequent. I was so tired after having been up for twenty-six hours, but I had to go. I am so glad that I did - so many people I knew (but not well) were there, laughing, drinking, joking, and having a good time. We shared stores about Michael and about each other, and about just ... our lives as the CIS family. I shared so many hugs with people I really was not that close to before. I had a great time, and as I drove home, slightly tipsy and really tired, I smiled, knowing that this is the way you honor someone who has fallen. And I know now that I'm going to be all right.
This morning I woke up with a bit of a hangover after sleeping off my thirty hour day, and saw the posts on Facebook ... (Comments on the Honor Guard picture that was posted above)
This is why I love my job.
I doubted my place in the agency a few times. I've doubted decisions I've made, I've doubted whether I was truly in the right place. This week, with the love and support we've all shared with each other, I know, these people are my family. It is a brotherhood unlike any other. You can't find that anywhere else. I'm so happy to have been a part of this celebration.
The funeral was absolutely beautiful. I felt myself starting to get tired as we convoyed over there, but it was well worth the lack of sleep.
I had worked the entire night shift before, finishing my shift at 0500hours. We were due to meet up and roll out at 0730hours, so I didn't go home - just changed out of my uniform at work, took a shower there (which I thought would be weird but wasn't, oddly), and hung out until then. By the time people started showing up, the Captain was organizing the cars in the parking lot and staging our patrol vehicles so we could just roll out one at a time, and we even got Largo PD to help with traffic control so we could all get out in one fell swoop.
Once in the vehicles, we all had radio communication and communicated the route, we had the front guy calling where we were going and the rear guy ensuring that all were caught up. It was amazing! There were at least 50 of our vehicles in the fleet in a row, rolling down the interstates on our way to the family's house.
We got to the family's house, staged right there, and after taking a minute to step out of the cars, joke around and bullshit with one another, we were back into the vehicles, lights flashing, for the convoy to the church. We watched as the limousines and hearse passed, and then we all rolled out, with a police escort. The line of flashing lights was amazing. There is no other way to describe it. So many people there to show their support for our fallen brother. I started to tear up just in the car and seeing all the flashing lights. I was truly moved.
Cars Lined to Convoy
We got to the church and parked, and made our way inside. The church service was just that - a church service - and while I'm not religious really, I still remembered the Our Father enough to recite it when it was time, and I still closed my eyes during the music to enjoy it. I have been to many funerals and they are all different, but they are all so very much alike.
Our Honor Guard ...
Then came the part where people spoke about Officer Valentin. His brother in law spoke - called him his brother - and that defintely got me started with the tears. He was so loved, by everyone. Everyone loved him. Next to speak was our Major, the Commander of Uniformed Services. Never in the two years that I've worked there have I seen him even show emotion like that. But he was getting choked up and ... damn. I lost it. Completely lost it. This is the second Officer we've lost in the line of duty since I've worked here, and he made a promise then as he did now - that We. Will. Never. Forget.
(He also mentioned how our first Officer's family was at this service, to show their support. That was also so moving to me.)
Finally we walked out of the church, and every single uniformed Officer - our Officers, rival security Officers, and at least four nearby jurisdictions of law enforcement Officers - were saluting Michael as his casket was settled into the hearse, to the sounds of Amazing Grace via bagpipes. It was so beautiful. So. Beautiful.
After that was his last call on the radio. They called out to him ... "Operations to Echo 265..." three times, made a few other calls over the radio, and at the very end, advised him to rest well, his work was done. Everyone lost it ... hearing the words ... was exactly how I heard it the night he fell. I'll never forget it, as long as I live.
We all stood by for a while to comfort one another, hugging, crying, and all. I thanked a few people who had left the agency for coming, because their support means a lot. And then we were on our way back to the Ops center to pick up our cars and go our separate ways - some of us had to work, some of us had to sleep, all of us had to heal.
A few hours later was the celebration of Michael's life at a nearby pub that we frequent. I was so tired after having been up for twenty-six hours, but I had to go. I am so glad that I did - so many people I knew (but not well) were there, laughing, drinking, joking, and having a good time. We shared stores about Michael and about each other, and about just ... our lives as the CIS family. I shared so many hugs with people I really was not that close to before. I had a great time, and as I drove home, slightly tipsy and really tired, I smiled, knowing that this is the way you honor someone who has fallen. And I know now that I'm going to be all right.
This morning I woke up with a bit of a hangover after sleeping off my thirty hour day, and saw the posts on Facebook ... (Comments on the Honor Guard picture that was posted above)
This is why I love my job.
I doubted my place in the agency a few times. I've doubted decisions I've made, I've doubted whether I was truly in the right place. This week, with the love and support we've all shared with each other, I know, these people are my family. It is a brotherhood unlike any other. You can't find that anywhere else. I'm so happy to have been a part of this celebration.