I Can Use My Friends

[AFT_LOVER]

What a 24 hours. The funeral home opened at 2PM & closed at 3:30AM, as officers showed from all over the USA & Canada. Especially NYC who with our bagpipes (fife & drum band) walk the 5 burroughs then to Groudn Zero on 9/11. Very cute to get a phonecall from them when they landed, hoping I'd pick them up but I was at the funeral home. Then today I got a break after I left at 4AM with the 2 officers that stay with him til family sees him gain with 4000 officers starting at 7AM. 11:30AM they are onto I71 with Middlebirgh Hts fire dept trucks back to back with a huge a

American flag suspended between the ladders high in the air. We drove under it on the bridge. Then down the freeway which was closed to traffic & to hear horns sound with lights flashing, and these are truckers & citizens stopped above us passing. Superior Ave downtown flooded with officers, all standing for hours & speakers blaring the service which was for family & friends, but not officers. Then Pittsburgh PD, Youngstown PD, with Cleveland PD will take him to his next fuenral home for a wake for family & friends with burial on Friday.

 

This to me was strange, as we have never been closed out of a service, and CPD is buried in Cleveland at Holy Cross Cemetary on Brookpark Road. A few are suburban family sites. But out of state? And his wife & kids do not plan to leave WestPark area. Dear Grace, wife of last slain officer Wayne Leon, was with her since the 2AM phonecall on his death. She had to tell her children now 6 years older since their daddy died, that another police officer is with daddy. To see the brother carrying Eric, AJ's son into the church just ripped me apart. Mom finding it hard to walk & Grace was her twin today. Her neighborhood had bags with candles along their sidewalks in tribute. A little rain til 8AM & then sunny & hign 70's. Sherriff's dept is 1st District today as they say good bye to their brother & to see SWAT as the pallbearers just showed the love.

 

Again thank you to everyone with their wishes and they are part of a big book given to the family. TV stations have printed out messages from citizens from all over the world. So those were added.

 

Going out with NYC & Milwakee tonite & staying at the hotel so I can get blasted & not have to drive home. I need some sleep!!!! Then back to my normal self tomorrow with 38 days til FREEDOM.

 

To all my friends - STAY SAFE!

[AFT_LOVER]

To all my CC friends who shared their heatfelt feelings with the family of CPD as well as wife, son & future child as well as AJ's parents, brothers & friends. A huge book filled with the cards I put together from everyone here as well as media additions from emails from folks.

 

Over 4000 officers, including bagpipes in the fife & drum bands from NYC, Bergen Cty NJ, Toronto as well as CPD's finest. But services in the Cathedral were private, no officers inside. So Superior Ave from E6th to E18, E9th St from Carnegie to the Shoreway was solid navy blue...... Speakers outside the church allowed everyone to hear the wonderful feelings of past Commanders who taught this great man all he knew, to the professors at KSU who taught him to be what he was. The SWAT team as his pallbearers & to see grown men cry, as I still feel what we all felt.

 

As the Chief stated "When we lose a great officer it affects us all. As he fell, we all stumbled". Then we walked behind the hearse to the freeway as CPD best as well as Youngstown PD, Pittsburgh PD surrounded the hearse & 4 limos with family to the new funeral home at his home city for todays wake for family & friends & his burial tomorrow. Then Sunday is NYC to walk 5 burroughs in musical rememberance of close to 3000 lost & again back to Ground Zero and to still see nothing happening after 5 years, personally I hope to see something........

 

Just got a phonecall from my neighbor who is future Chief and will be first Hispanic Chief, that Cities along the turnpike had firefighter's lights flashing & flags waving from the ladders as well as cruisers adding to the ride. I told him NYC & Milwakee were closing the bar at the H.I. with my DH & I, as we needed it! That wonderful funeral home that was open from 1PM to 3AM with mourners many who waited 2.5 hours in line 4 blocks long to see AJ. Then 7AM for all of us to pass thru one more time before assembling downtown.

 

GOD BLESS AJ & THAT SMILE............ Eric will be just you.

[AFT_LOVER]

of what she saw from her office window, which had to be sure amazement..........

 

I live in Strongsville and have been following the news since the story broke the other morning. I work across from the Cathedral at 9th & Superior, where the services will be held. I can still remember the services for Officer Leon and the crowds in downtown Cleveland. I expect no less next week ... Our prayers to his family and fellow officers.

Debbie

[carmel]

This has been all over the radio. I work at CCF as does his wife (I live in Bay). What a terrible thing. Prayers (and thanks) go out to all of those who keep us safe.

[AFT_LOVER]

who rented 8 buses to carry all of District 1 officers & their families to be with him at his burial, as well as fife & drum units from CPD, NYPD, TCPD, BCPD for the service who then go to NYC for 9/11 and their annual 5 burrough walk & play from 12:01AM 9/10-Ground Zero for families of lost folks have their memorial. So I have volunteered to assist at Dist 1 for the weekend. But I get a call thanking me but all but 2 buses are headed back so officers from 1 can report for night shift. Fife & Drum are all headed to NYC for the annual event.