My First 5K

All the medals!

This past Saturday I participated in my very first 5K Run Walk.

Like many 5K’s this one had a cause that it supported. There are Run Walk 5K’s for any matter of diseases – and this one wasn’t any different. Well, maybe it was different. You see, most diseases are of physiological and biological origins. The disease I walked for is not. I walked for awareness of sociological disease. A problem in our society. (And there are many, but that’s another story for another day.)

A closer look.

I participated in the inaugural Iowa event of the OfficerDown 5K. This 5K’s purpose was to celebrate and support officers who put their lives on the line daily to keep our communities save and to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty.

This cause is near and dear to my heart because my beautiful son is a police officer. It is not a profession I would have chosen for him, but it’s also not a surprise to me that he was called to this duty. My son, since he was a very little boy, had (and has) a strong sense of right and wrong. Not that he didn’t get in trouble like any kid does, because he did, but that he could see injustices and wrongs at a very early age.  And he was always perplexed by them. He would ask: Why do they do that? Why did that happen?

He is proud of his work and I am proud of him.

I want people to understand. There are good and bad folks in every profession. But a profession in and of itself is not evil. I want people to understand this.

I pray for my son’s safety every night. I wake up in the night and pray for him.

Nate and 2 of his Tutu-wearing nieces enjoy the fun run!

It's a family event.
Nate's wife (in the middle with him) and her family,
along with ours.

Papa  (Nate's dad) and Adalyn (niece) at the starting line.

Nate's brother in law Phil came in third
in the men's division.
And Nate's sister Erin ran with 2 kiddos in her jogging stroller!

Youngest niece, Willow, enjoys the stroller ride!

According to Officer Down Memorial Page, 99 officers have been killed in the line of duty this year between January 2016 and October 2016.  Forty-four killed by gunshot.

Just this past week, three officers were shot and killed in the USA.  

From the Officer Down Memorial Page:

“Police Officer Blake Snyder was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance on the 10700 block of Arno Drive in Green Park, Missouri, shortly after 5:00 am.
He and another officer had arrived at the scene and were met with gunfire immediately as they exited their patrol cars. Officer Snyder was shot at point blank and killed instantly. The second officer was able to return fire and wounded the subject.”

“Police Officer Lesley Zerebny and Police Officer Gil Vega were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call in the 2700 block of Cypress Road shortly after noon. A family member from the home had gone to a neighbor's house and and stated that his son was armed and wanted to shoot police officers. Responding officers, including Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny, arrived at the scene several minutes later. The man inside the home opened fire on them as they approached the front door, killing Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny and wounding a third officer.”

“Officer Zerebny had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 18 months. She was survived by her husband, who also serves in law enforcement, and 4-month-old child.

Officer Zerebny was scheduled to retire only two months after his murder. He was working an overtime shift on the day he was murdered. He is survived by his wife and eight children.

Officer Snyder had served with the St. Louis County Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife and 2-year-old son.”

The 5K was a great success. It was comforting to be in the company of people who understand what it’s like to have a family member in law enforcement. It’s the only job (other than a soldiers') who, when gunfire erupts, they run toward it. Holy cow and Dear Lord.

Until next time,

Be Good to Yourself and Back the Blue.

~Nadine