Dear Officer’s Wife,
I recently wrote a blog that was intended to touch the lives of our police force. It was intended to make them realize that they weren’t alone and forgotten by the very people that they protect. I wanted them to know that we see them. I have spent many of nights thinking about my fellow Law Enforcement families and I have to be honest. It has been a wide range of emotions. Some of those nights consisted of me falling asleep with an immeasurable amount of pride in our men and women in uniform. The other nights consisted of sleepless moments of anxiety and uncertainty. Last night, as I waded through the responses to “Dear Officer, I See You”, I found myself thinking about you. I found myself thinking about what it really means to be a police officer’s wife or husband. And, I think it’s fair to say that the definition of what that means is ever changing. Nearly 5 years ago, I signed a certificate that would eternally tie me to our police community, and I have to say, the times have changed significantly in that short amount of time.
What is my point? My point is that I see you, too. I see that you are hurting right along side your spouse. I see that your pain is even more transparent because it is blatantly directed at someone you know and love deeply. I see that you are constantly scanning a room because you know that a split second can change your entire life and you have been taught the importance of knowing your surroundings. I see you fiercely and loyally defend your blue family on social media. I see that you are tired of being fearful of wearing anything that identifies you as a police wife because you know the possibility of someone hunting your family is real. You know that someone would hurt your child to hurt your husband or wife. I see you as you empty bullets, ear plugs, and latex gloves out of your husband’s uniform as you prepare to wash the blood out of his shirt. I see you check your phone one thousand times because you’re waiting for that phone call that lets you know that he is okay. I see you stop when you hear on the news that their has been an officer involved shooting because you hope that someone isn’t about to ring your doorbell in uniform. We’ve all had that visual. We’ve all imagined what it would be like to be handed the news that our loved ones aren’t coming home that night; they aren’t ever coming home again.
I see you spending Christmas and Thanksgiving alone. I see you explain to your child why daddy had to leave her birthday party early because he’s been called to duty. I see you scouring the comment sections in your local news articles while trying your hardest to not respond to someone else’s misinformed views. I see you cry after you realize that you were only a half second away from becoming a widow because someone opened fire on a routine wellness check. I see you watch as a vocal minority demonizes and calls for the death of the people we know; the people we call family. We do this while knowing that their hearts are golden and their intentions are well placed. I see you as you know that you will never be able to undo the things that your spouse has seen.
To the wives of fallen officers, I see you the most. I see you as you say goodbye to your hero. I see you as you are handed your husbands badge and an American flag folded in the perfect triangle. I see you wipe the tears from your face as they do one final roll call. I see your heart shatter as the sound of taps begins to play as you say your final goodbyes. I see you watch the sea of men and women in blue salute your husband as he is driven away. I see you wrap your arms around your children as you realize you have the heavy burden of explaining life to them. You are living our biggest nightmare. My heart shatters into a million pieces while we all mourn your loss throughout an entire nation. Your sacrifice is not unnoticed. Your pain is not unseen. Your grief is felt by us all. You are not alone.
My fellow police wives, your courage is admirable. It is grossly unrecognized by a world who does not understand your sacrifice. We are all in this together. We are a family. We are a unit. We are connected by a force that cannot be silenced. We all know that any given moment we can become Darren Wilson’s family. At any given moment, we could be the families of Officer Ramos and Officer Liu. In fact, I would say that we already are. I know the heaviness of my heart has felt more burdensome than ever. I know that yours must feel the same. With all that being said, I know that the men and women of uniform will not fail us. I know that their honor far outweighs the disgraceful attack on their characters. I know that they will fight the good battle as long as there is a war. I see you, police wife. I see you because I am you…..and I will be you until my very last breath.
I love you all. Thank you for everything.
Reblogged this on Soon To Be LEOW.
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Just ripped my heart out. I see this with my daughter and her husband and my grandchildren I I try to so fiercely to protect them from the cruel words against the Officers. As a mother in law I will stand loayaly beside my son in law and the NYPD as well as other police officers in the USA.
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Thank your family for their service! It does not go unnoticed!
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~in tears~
Thank you
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Thank you—I have been a LEOW for 26 years–and although we are both retired now–we are still in the “Family”- Forever. I wish that social media and blogging and emails had been around all those years ago when my husband was working the streets. Sometimes I felt so alone.
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never alone!
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Thank you for remembering the unsung hero’s of our lives, Our wives. Your kindness in thought and prayer is above all else greatly needed and appreciated. Thanks from someone who has been walking this walk for over thirty years.
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Thank you for your service, Frank. You guys make it all worth the while.
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Thank you for this post. We are but one family, strong, united and our hearts bleed blue!!! 💙💙💙💙💙
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Beautifully stated. … Thank you ❤
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Well done!
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It is indeed a very frightful time for all LEO’s and their families. It breaks my heart to daily see another LEO has come to his/her end of watch. Such senseless and tragic acts have destoyed yet another family. And the constant voicing of yet another uninformed/ignorant/naive individual’s rantings against all Law Enforcement. When will it end? So disgraceful and heart wretching.
I pray for all the LEO’s and their families, that they never get that last call. That they will all be kept safe as they ensure the safety of their community and those who wish them harm.
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Tears are rolling down my fade & my Aunt is looking at me like I’m crazy for crying seemingly unprovoked. Thank you for writin this & for sharing with us.
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It’s very difficult for most to understand our daily routine…. thank you for the beautiful words! I wish you all nothing but warm wishes for the new year xoxo.
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Thank you for expressing your heartfelt words to us LEO wives, which speaks volumes. I pray that someday soon the light will once again shine for our brave LEO’s, who fight each and every day against the evil of this world.
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Thank you for your kind words. Words that having tears pouring from my eyes as I sit here on the couch, practically on top of my Husband, and I’m still not close enough. Thank you for recognizing being the Wife of a Police Officer is becoming more difficult than I could ever possibly could have imagined, but I will NEVER GIVE UP, not on him or on the fight. I will continue making sure everyone knows that #bluelivesmatter
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Thank you! We definitely feel the pain of every LEO that is lost. It weighs heavily upon us all. God Bless them all & keep them safe.
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Tears streamed down my face as I read this. Wow…Thank you for sharing t his. Being a LE wife is a hard job, that many don’t understand. But you completely hit the nail on the head.
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As a wife of a LEO I too cried as I read these beautiful words of encouragement. We are not alone and as it is so important for our LEO to stick together it is also a great thing to be able to stick together as LEO wives.
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Reblogged this on kimteresting.
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those wonderful words, for seeing us. That touched me more than you know. Your words brought tears to my eyes. I’ve been a LEOW for 19 years and a significant other for 4 more years. The hate that is being expressed right now has been difficult. And everything you mentioned is so true. Thank you so much. God bless you.
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Thank you!
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Thank you for this. Not many understand this life we live. God bless our officers and God bless our spouses and families.
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Thank you from an LEO wife in SC!! I will stand up for our men and women in blue as long as I live!
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Thank you. I lost my husband on 3/19/14 in the line if duty. You always hope and pray that day will never come. My heart goes out to all LEO families that have lost a loved one and prayers to those still working and to their families. I could only wish that no one would ever have to feel the heartache and pain.
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Beth – thank you so much for stopping by. Even more so, I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Your husband will have a special place in our world forever. We love you guys.
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Thank you for your sacrifice. It is not fair, but know that we are here for you.
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I am so sincerely saddened by the loss of your husband. I wish there were magical words or deeds that could lighten your pain. Please know that he is in the highest jurisdiction and watching over you and your family. Much love,
Suzanne
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I am neither a LEO or the wife of a LEO… I am actually an offender. But I just want to say how grateful I am for every sacrifice..small and huge that these beautiful individuals make every day. LEO’S are NOT the enemy..ever. They have a misunderstood passion for helping ALL people..the offender included. They care. They played a big part in saving me from myself. I pray for their safety always. Thankyou for saving my life. It will never be forgotten. Peace
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This is a comment that I did not expect to see. I am, however, very grateful that you stopped by. Thank you so much for offering such a different perspective and I am glad that they were able to help you. Would love to hear your story sometime.
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Thank you!!! My Leo has been involved in the Ferguson riots and we are dealing with a very broken community.. now that we have lost 2 of new Yorks finest it is all too real and tragic. I read this with tears running down my face and my heart breaks for their wives. We are strong because we have each other and know we are never alone BUT Your words need to be read by all..just to remind them 🙂 thank you and God bless. ❤ STL MO
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Thank your husband for his service in Ferguson. And thank you for supporting him!
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You’re right… We do all feel this way. I have had to stop reading comments secretions because they’re filled with ignorant hate filled comments that will incite my wrath every time.
As a trauma nurse, I’ve held those widows and cried with them knowing it was only the grace of God it wasn’t my Leo.
We have pride in our blue family because it takes strength and courage to be a part of it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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“We have pride in our blue family because it takes strength and courage to be a part of it.” – This. Exactly.
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Thank you. I needed these words today.
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Thank you for being our voice…It means alot!
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Thank you
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Thank you for being a part of this blue family & for the validation of all of the sacrifices that spouses and children endure. While we don’t seek out recognition, it is appreciated when we are acknowledged. Thank you again & prayers of strength & safety for all of our blue family. 💙
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Thank you thank you thank you. This was beautiful. I’ve had police knock on my door, I’ve had to explain to my kids; that Daddy was shot at work. I defdnd my husband and our law enforcement family proudly. To all our loved ones out there BE SAFE.
My officer is working NYE, to all those working that night as well; be safe . May God see your loved ones home to you after EVERY shift.
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Oops my previous message linked the wrong FB account.
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I am a retired LEO and I have been an LEOW for 20 years. In this day and age, it pains me every morning as I send my husband off knowing that I may never see him again. Knowing that he might never hug our children again. Knowing… Thank you. I could not have said it better
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That’s beautiful, I want to say to you all.. lets unite and be one huge family with blue heart beats.. I pray for the safety of your spouses and mine every single day.. God bless you all.. From Tucson Arizona.. ❤
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Reblogged this on Charlie Foxtrot.
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Thank you!
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Thank you for the positivity. The tremendous wave of negativity against LEO’S has been discouraging; but then posts like this remind me of the quiet strength that flows through all LEO’S & LEO families as We know ALL lives matter.
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My husband has been a LEO for nearly 30 years, and though I often felt alone, I never felt more discouraged than these past few months. It is wonderful to have the support of so many by hearing others’ stories. Thank You for beautiful words.
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Thank you so much!!! As I read this, it really hit home in many ways. My husband & I are both retired from LE. Our two oldest and our daughter-in-law are currently on the same department that we retired from. I now know how my mother felt every time I use to put on my gun belt to go to work. I go thru the same as I now have to worry about my kids because they wear the uniform. I have to trust that they are well trained and well prepared. I am speechless about how we are viewed. How did we get to where we are now ? Your words have truly helped, thanks so much.
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Reblogged this on bellabelle1 ~ morceaux de mon esprit and commented:
Love this… sharing this because I feel the same way and because I am a proud police officer’s wife!
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Love this… sharing this because I feel the same way and because I am also a proud police officer’s wife!
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Please don’t forget about LEO husbands too – I think it’s harder for them than it is for LEO wives because the men so often think it is their job to protect us. When it is the wife who is the LEO (as in my case) I know it is very difficult for him when I am gone… Especially on those nights when all he gets is the call saying “It’s been a bad night and I don’t know when I’ll be home.”
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We definitely do not forget them! Thank him for us!
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I was a LEOW for 30 years. We (yes, WE – I was married to the badge as well) are retired, but now our youngest son is a LEO. We pray for him (and his wife) every night. This is a different – and very scary- world we are living in now. God Bless ALL the LEOs and their families. Never grow weary of doing what is right!
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These last few months have been so trying. As a Leo wife for 16 years I think this has been the most difficult, watching the nation so divided and trying so hard to defend our husbands & wives. Thank you for so beautifully putting our feelings into words.
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Thank you so much for writing this. I’m in tears because even if you try not to think about it, the threat is very real especially now, of losing your loved one while on duty. I love that my husband keeps in constant contact with me daily and when he gets busy I pray that everything is ok. That when he walks to his car, he’ll be fine. That no one is following him. That when he’s at the bank or running an errand while in uniform, no one targets him. But I’m so very proud of what he does and what his family in blue stand for. I will continue to defend him and our family in blue always. We are much stronger untied and we are many. Prayers to all LEO families and their loved ones. Especially those who have lost a loved one.
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i can’t begin to thank you enough. It’s as if the last two posts came directly from my mouth, my head and my heart. We’re coming up on our fifth wedding anniversary and I never would’ve dreamed these times are what we’d face. You inspire me, comfort me and make me realize I don’t walk this lonely road alone. Whoever you are, please know I’m grateful for you and pray for safety stength and blessings as you continue to share our, the LEOWs, story. Love to you!!!
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Love to you as well, Heidi. And Happy 5th Anniversary.
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Thank you. I am in tears. I have to send him to work tomorrow night, not knowing if the cowards who advertise this massacre are really going to go through with it. I won’t be sleeping until he is safe through our door.
I am not afraid. I will defend my family as fiercely as he defends our streets…….
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Thank you so much for the words hit home! My husband has been an LEO for 30 years, I retired from EMS & now a Nurse. We have lived this life, our children were raised in this life. They didn’t know this life was abnormal.
I will forever be behind & beside my husband & all his brother & sisters in Blue.
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Thank you so much.
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Reblogged this on girlwithadragonflytattoo.
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Love these letters! What about a parents letter as I am a single female LEO and I am very close to my parents.
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Beautifully said…thank you on behalf of my husband (who has worked with Hwy Patrol for almost 25 years) and my family who love and support him and all of our LE families.
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thank you so much for writing this. I am the sister of a police officer and it’s hard for me to have my brother go out night after night to serve us. I can’t even imagine what my sister-in-law goes through. She has been strong by his side for 8 years of dating and almost 3 years of marriage. She is always so proud of him. If you could, maybe at some point think about writing a blog for the parents of police officers. My parents pray every day that my brother has an uneventful night while he is working. The stress and worry they feel every day is palpable. Thank you for supporting your husband, and thank you r husband for his service.
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