When the boys go down for their naps, I usually watch "The Chew", on DVR, while I eat my lunch. But on October 24, my recording was interrupted by breaking news.
There was an officer shot in Sacramento and a manhunt happening right before my eyes for the two suspects. At one point, the search was a couple of miles from my sister's house, which made the situation even more real.
I was making my niece's birthday cake that afternoon so I kept the news on in the background.
The hunt that began in Sacramento, then went to Carmichael, and somehow ended up in the quiet town of Auburn.
At about 4:00, they finally caught the man and woman involved but it wasn't without three people being shot, two of which were police officers, both of them died that day from their wounds.
One of the officers was Detective Michael Davis, Jr., a detective for Placer County Sheriff. While I didn't know him, after following the story, I knew I wanted to show my gratitude and support in some way.
I woke up early today, got the boys ready, and we headed to the funeral service. As we pulled onto the road where the church was, there was a steady stream of law enforcement from all over the state. There were fire trucks pulled over on the side of the road, with flags hanging from their extended ladders. I was already overwhelmed with emotion and nothing had even taken place!
We got there early and watched the Honor Guard, then found a spot to sit in the public seating area. We watched the video montage for a bit and then the service started.
While there were other civilians there, those attending were primarily officers. It was an absolute honor to be amongst such brave, selfless, strong men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives for others' safety. I actually felt as though I was intruding on something sacred but I am grateful I was able to witness the bond that they all have.
Detective Davis was killed exactly 26 years to the day after his own father lost his life while serving as a Riverside County Sheriff. Detective Davis' brother, who is also a Sheriff, shared such great stories of how Detective Davis was always taking care of him and their younger brother. The two younger brothers would sneak out to visit Detectve Davis at his first job, at Wendy's. Detective Davis would be upset they snuck out but would fix them up with Frostys while he closed up.
His brother didn't go into detail but mentioned that their younger brother tragically died in 1988. It must be devastating for the brother to have lost both brothers and his father but I hope the three of them are having a joyous reunion on the other side.
I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to attend. I'm grateful for the extreme reverence of the service (We were in a separate building from the main service and it was being broadcasted to where we were. The Lime asked me throughout the whole thing if we were watching Heaven.). I'm grateful my boys behaved. But I'm most grateful for the sacrifice and service Detective Davis rendered for the citizens of Placer County.
(I didn't feel it appropriate to take photos so I am just including the program cover)
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