I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that Trooper Bob is stoic and non-emotional. I will tell you he is one of the most even keeled men I know. Oh don’t get me wrong he gets mad and pops his cork, but honestly it takes a lot to get him to that level. He is a big jokester and looks at life with a great slant. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called with something that I considered a major drama only for him to bring me back to reality and ask me “What difference does it make.” He is also one of the toughest and most courageous men I know. I know I'm biased but I happen to admire and respect what law enforcement officers do everyday of their lives.
When he told me this story I have to admit it brought me to tears. So I am warning you before you read that this is one of Trooper Bob’s serious stories.
When he told me this story I have to admit it brought me to tears. So I am warning you before you read that this is one of Trooper Bob’s serious stories.
It was one of those nights that everything happened at once. Trooper Bob and Trooper Ray had a very busy night. They had served several warrants and made numerous trips to the jail to deliver their booty. They had just stopped for a cup of coffee and a donut when the call came that there had been an accident out on Highway 181. They got their coffee to go and grabbed a donut for the road and headed toward the location of the collision.
The troopers arrived on the scene shortly after the two vehicles had met on the dark road in the early hours of the morning. There was a family sedan and a truck both in pieces. Trooper Bob set up the flares while Trooper Ray went to inspect the scene. He was standing at the driver window of the sedan looking over the carnage. Trooper Bob wandered up to the passenger side of the car checking for injured or trapped victims. What he saw took his breath away. It was a whole family. A mother, father, and three children were all in the vehicle.
He sucked in air and wandered away from the vehicle to the bridge abutment. He sat down on the guardrail and began to weep. He couldn’t help himself. There was nothing he could do for this family they had all been killed upon impact. The truck driver had also been killed. Trooper Bob sat with his hands over his face until he heard footprints. He looked up to see Trooper Ray standing in front of him. “Bob” Trooper Ray started “did you see that little girl?” Trooper Bob looked up at Trooper Ray and saw the tears streaming down his face. “Yeah” Bob answered “she looks just like Matilda.” That was too much for Trooper Ray and he sat down on the guardrail next to Trooper Bob. “That could have been my family” Trooper Bob sniffled. “That IS somebody’s family” Ray responded. The ambulance and tow trucks arrived to find two big brave troopers brought to tears by a totally useless act of fate.
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11 comments:
It is so sad how life can change in an instant.
There is a special place in heaven for Policemen, Funeral Directors... and all Teachers.
I have often wondered how police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, etc., handle the raw brutality that they encounter daily. I know that I would not have the emotional or mental fortitude to do such a job. Gob bless those that do. Lucky Mrs. T is right; there is a special spot in heaven for them.
As much as I say I dislike my ex, I always had an appreciation for what he went through on a daily basis.
As much as he was a lousy husband and father at times, I pray that he goes straight to that special place in heaven when he dies.
I'll take a strong, sensitive man every time...too bad I didn't for my first three marriages, huh?
The Texas Woman
Yeah, that's pretty much a tear jerker. I can't imagine having to come upon that stuff at all, much less on the job or more than once in a lifetime. Sad.
Too much sadness...I can't imagine facing it at my job everyday.
You have to be a special kind of person to be able to deal with such tragedies. I admire what our heros do everyday. Giver your daddy a big hug and a kiss on the cheek for me.
Good man that dad of yours.
I'm sure he saw more than his share of such tragedy. It takes a strong man to go on after having to deal with something like this.
Trooper Bob was and still is a hero.
Can we Hollywoodize this to have a happy ending? How about the family was part of a terrorist cell and all had explosives strapped to them bound for a highly populated area and the truck driver actually saved all those people with his selfless act...
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