Page 45 - May 2017 Newsletter

to Springfield for this event at least once during their ca- reers.
“You don’t understand until you go there and meet the families,” Rybolt explained. “They come up to you, and you give them a moment of your time. You listen to them and empathize with them. After you are done talking with them, they give you a hug. You go back and see them again the next year, and they might not remember your name, but they remember you are from Chicago. And they give you another hug.”
There is also a lesson to be learned from attending the memorial ceremony. Prohaska, who is assigned to the Po- lice Academy as a range instructor, underscored that les- son by considering what he would tell recruits about why they should attend this, and any other, memorial service.
“I would tell them that there’s a lot of nonsense that comes with the job, but look past that,” he articulated. “Believe in the family you have become a part of, and ev- erything will be OK.”
Clearly, there might be no more impactful moment for any officer than standing at attention at the end of the ceremony as the pipes and drums sound off “Amazing Grace.” It’s the sound of remembrance and honor.
“The families remember hearing it and they deserve it,” shared Gallardo. “It could be very easy for people to forget the incident or the officers who lost their lives as time moves on. So we want to convey the message that we have not forgotten the loss the families experience, nor the have we forgotten the sacrifice of these officers.”d
The drumline of the CPD Pipes and Drums nish o a memorable rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MAY 2017 45