End of Watch: May 25, 2007
“O say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave,
‘Ore the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
The wind was extremely strong in Cleveland Heights today.
And, has been my routine almost every day in the nearly two weeks since Jason died; I’ve watched the flag in fascination.
From the elliptical machine at Bally’s, my view of City Hall is unobstructed. Across the parking lot, just above the tips of the leafy treetops, I see it – stars and stripes flying proud – at half-mast.
Officer Jason West was gunned down in the line of duty while responding to a call just after 10pm on Friday, May 25th. It’s likely, and sadly fortunate, that Jason never even knew what him. Several bullets, fired from close range, hit him multiple times in the face and leg as he exited his police cruiser. With his gun still secured in its holster, Jason was likely dead before he even hit the ground.
Symbolic in so many ways, Old Glory seemed to be particularly struggling today. She tried to stay tall and straight, despite the elements whipping against her. As I watched a CHPD cruiser pull into the station, I couldn’t help but reflect on how Jason’s family, friends and fellow officers have struggled these past two weeks.
As the wife of an officer who was close friends with Jason, I’ve experienced the impact of these senseless events first-hand.
As I’ve attended memorial services, candlelight vigils and the funeral, my thoughts have been both profound and strangely random.
Would Jason have CAVS fever – now that Cleveland won the Eastern Conference? After all, the CAVs are playing in the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history.
What songs would Greg want sung at his funeral, should that horrible day ever arrive? We better be prepared.
If the news cameras catch me in the crowd, will the tear-stains down my face be obvious?
The kids need to attend the candlelight vigil so they can have some comprehension of why we keep talking about daddy’s friend who died.
While I have stopped planning Greg’s funeral on a daily basis, the reality continues to set in.
The news has already stopped running stories about a Fallen Hero. Eventually, the flowers will fade and the beautiful spring blossoms, marred by this tragedy, will eventually turn to cold, gray snowflakes.
Eventually, even the flag outside City Hall will be returned to its full height.
Will we forget? How can we possibly forget? Or perhaps more importantly, how will we continue to remember?
Just as the flag, representative of so much, persevered against the wind, we will remember.
We are forever changed.
Jason’s sacrifice will not be in vain.
“O say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave,
‘Ore the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
You can donate to the Officer Jason D. West Memorial Fund here
