Mother's Day Scenes from the Law Enforcement Memorial

As many of you are already aware, this is Police Week. A week to honor the fallen heroes of law enforcement. I am so grateful to live in close proximity to Washington, D.C. so that I have the chance every year to visit the memorial during Police Week and participate in some of the events. Every year it is equally impossible to not feel the swell of emotion present during this extraordinary event. For those of you who are not able to visit this year I would like to share some of the photos I took that capture some of the events today.

Officer Molly Thomas-Bowden of the Columbia, MO Police Department was gunned down during a traffic stop in 2005. I had the opportunity to speak with her mother today at the memorial. How heartbreaking to spend Mothers' Day remembering your daughter in this way.

State Trooper Linda Huff, of the Idaho State Police Department, was shot and killed durng a gunfight with a suspect in 1998. Trooper Huff was shot 17 times; the last shot while she laid helpless on the ground. Trooper Huff was a mother of three children. This is the 15th Mother's Day her children are without their mother.

Too many names continue to be added to this wall year after year.

The Children: The following photos speak for themselves.

The Police Unity Tour:

The Police Unity Tour is a bike ride from New Jersey to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. by law enforcement officers whose purpose is to raise awareness of police officers who have died in the line of duty. Its motto is "We ride for those who died." The second purpose of the unity tour is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum. Over 1600 people participate in the tour each year. It was an honor to be there to witness those who rode in the tour this year as they finished their ride at the memorial. We have made a donation to the this outstanding cause and encourage you to do so as well.

There is something about the roar of the motors in the distance and listening to it get louder and louder the closer they get!

To all of the Mother's out there we hope you have had a well deserved wonderful day! Please keep the memories of all the officers who have given their lives in the line of duty alive and pray for their families.