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My name is Isaac Duplechain. I am a police officer with the Houston Police Department. I'd like to turn your attention to a member of my department who was tragically killed last Saturday night. I just returned from his funeral, and I'd like to share the story of his heroism.
Officer Kevin Will, age 37, was working a hit-and-run accident involving two motorcycles on the 610 Loop around 2:00 am. Along with several other officers, he blocked the highway with police vehicles for safety and to protect the integrity of the scene of the major accident. As he interviewed one of the witnesses, a drunk driver drove around the flashing lights of the barricade and drove straight towards Officer Will. In a moment, he reacted by instinct and pushed the citizen out of the way while shouting a warning. He could have simply jumped over the wall to safety, but that would have left the citizen in the way of the vehicle. The drunk driver hit him going 80 miles per hour, killing him instantly.
We talk a lot about heroes in this world, but it is all too rare to see a true hero. Officer Will was a hero down to the very fiber of his being. We should celebrate his life, his service, and the heroism displayed in his death.
My name is Isaac Duplechain. I am a police officer with the Houston Police Department. I'd like to turn your attention to a member of my department who was tragically killed last Saturday night. I just returned from his funeral, and I'd like to share the story of his heroism.
Officer Kevin Will, age 37, was working a hit-and-run accident involving two motorcycles on the 610 Loop around 2:00 am. Along with several other officers, he blocked the highway with police vehicles for safety and to protect the integrity of the scene of the major accident. As he interviewed one of the witnesses, a drunk driver drove around the flashing lights of the barricade and drove straight towards Officer Will. In a moment, he reacted by instinct and pushed the citizen out of the way while shouting a warning. He could have simply jumped over the wall to safety, but that would have left the citizen in the way of the vehicle. The drunk driver hit him going 80 miles per hour, killing him instantly.
We talk a lot about heroes in this world, but it is all too rare to see a true hero. Officer Will was a hero down to the very fiber of his being. We should celebrate his life, his service, and the heroism displayed in his death.
I am very sorry to hear about this. My condolences, for what little they are worth, go out to both his family and friends.
We need more like him. RIP.
Many hugs for all his workmates, and my sympathies to his family.
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Small world, Issac. I was at Kevin's funeral yesterday as well.
Thank you for making this thread, I had shared the story with some of my Fawtl friends, but his story is definitely worthy of wider recognition.
Please be safe as you and your fellow officers continue to protect the rest of us Houstonians.
Wow. This is a tragic yet amazing story. My condolences to all: a truly great man has died, may there be more.
Ah..what a loss!! He gave his life to save another's. He will certainly be missed, my condolences to his family, friends, and coworkers.
Wolfthulhu - How did you know Officer Will? I think I'd only met him personally once, but I saw how devastated some of our mutual friends were.
His funeral was tough, especially considering his pregnant wife. Each funeral gets harder. Since I joined the department in June 2008, we've lost Gary Gryder (killed by an intoxicated driver), Tim Abernethy (shot to death), Henry Canales (shot to death), Eydelmen Mani (traffic accident), and now Kevin Will (killed by an intoxicated driver). Each of these officers sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
This is truly a heartbreaking loss, as all line-of-duty deaths are. I'm just glad that he won't be forgotten, not by the person he saved nor by anyone who reads the story of his heroism.
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We went to church together for awhile about ten years ago. There was a group of maybe a dozen of us who hung out a lot. Kevin and I were two of the older guys. Sadly over time, we all started to drift apart, move to different churches, some got married or moved out of town. I'm actually not sure when the last time I saw him was... 5 or 6 years ago, probably. I remember hearing that he joined the academy, and later that he was dating someone.
Then last Sunday a mutual friend called after she saw it on the news...
His last acts were truly great. The word 'hero' sounds so trite, with the way it is tossed around for just about anything these days. But it really does apply to Kevin Will.
I'm glad that his family are such strong Christians, and I'm glad there is no doubt in their minds or mine as to where Kevin is now. Though, I do regret the loss of so many years that I could have spent knowing him better.
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Every time I start to get cynical and jaded about people and how they treat each other so very badly, I see something like this and remember that sometimes, just sometimes, people can be truly wonderful.
RIP Officer Will, my condolences to his family and friends, and my thanks for reminding me how wonderful people can be.
Condolencies to all affected by Officer Will's passing. Echoing wholeheartedly everyone's comments he died a true hero doing the job I'm sure he loved.
As the son of a firefighter I'm all too aware of the men and woman who make these sacrifices for us every day.
@Crimson Jester: Great words and very apt hombre.