A date that we will always remember...

Today used to be a day that I thought of happily. It is my brothers birthday. But since February 17,2006 it is a date that I will never forget. It is the date that our friend was tragically taken away from us while doing his job. A job that he loved. He was protecting the people of our great state when he was murdered. Just thinking about it makes me so sad. There are days that it feels like it just happened. Today sadly is one of those days. It is rainning today which seems to make this day even harder. Having a husband in law enforcement you never want to be woke up hearing the phone ring or the doorbell ring. It scares you. Well I will never forget being woke up by my daughter and her telling me that a CHP Officer was killed. I ran to the TV with her and listened. It was when we found out not who it was but that it was in fact someone from our office. I then had to go upstairs and wake up my husband and tell him the hardest thing I have ever had to tell him. I will never forget the look on his face. He called the office and asked who it was. When the voice on the other end of the line told him I saw the color drain out of his face and he spoke Earl's name. My daughter and I fell to our knees. We all loved Earl. He could make you smile on your worst day. Tiffany looked up to him so much. We talked racing. He would always ask my pick even though he knew who I was picking. We miss him terribly.

He has received some very nice honors since his murder. He would be embarrassed by them for sure but for us it is of some comfort. There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't cross my mind. I pray for him to be in peace. I also pray that justice will be served for Earl. I am hopeful that it will happen. We love you Earl.