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Children question local tragedy, pay respects to fallen deputy
It’s hard to begin another year of Motherhood without addressing the tragic start to 2011 our community has faced.
Recounting our family’s humorous moments while traveling for the holidays and going to the dentist seem trivial in light of the events that transpired on New Year’s Day.
As a mother, a parent, I can’t imagine anything worse in this world than losing a child. For a child, I believe the pain from losing a parent is insurmountable.
On January 1, two children lost their mother, two parents lost a daughter, siblings lost a sister, a husband lost a wife and a community lost a dedicated protector.
When the news broke that shots had been fired in Clark County and two officers were down; our New Year’s Day celebration with friends quickly turned somber, full of questions.
Soon after we learned that one deputy had been injured, another killed.
A cloud settled over the afternoon festivities. Somehow, college football didn’t seem so important anymore.
The next morning, the face of Clark County Sheriff Deputy Suzanne Waughtel Hopper was on every television station, in every newspaper, all over the internet.
We began to learn about her, get to know her; a newlywed, mother of two teenagers, D.A.R.E. and Safety Village instructor, went several years doing her job without so much as one sick day, opting to work overtime on that fateful New Year’s Day, even making time to call family members before her shift began to wish them a happy new year.
As the week progressed my sons began to recognize her face, even pointing to her picture in the newspaper and saying, “There’s Suzanne.”
My younger son, who is 5, asked me what happened to her. I searched my mind for the words, wanting to be honest but keep it simple.
“She was working as a policewoman (he doesn’t understand “deputy” yet), and she was shot by a bad man.”
He pondered this explanation for a while, and with a twinge of fear in his voice, asked, “Do all bad guys have guns?”
“I hope not, buddy, but this one did and she died trying to protect people from him.”
I also ensured him that this man could no longer hurt anyone else.
The funeral procession for Deputy Hopper passed by close to our home. Despite the cold weather, I bundled up the boys and took them to pay their respects to the fallen hero.
They stood in the quiet snowfall, holding a little American flag, watching police cruisers from as far away as Chicago lead the way to Myers Cemetery.
The procession - such an emotional, memorable hour - was a sea of flashing red and blue that seemed to stretch as far as heaven; from where, I pray, Suzanne was able to see her death was not in vain, feel the love her family, community and country has for her, and know she will always be remembered.
My heartfelt thanks to the law enforcement officers serving our communities every day. God bless you!
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
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