Page 39 - FOP June 2019 Magazine

From left, Erin Bauer, Crystal Jimenez, Maria Marmolejo and Kelly Gary receive recognition from Su- perintendent Eddie Johnson at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service.
ored them, during the past unfathomable year.
As the events of Police Week fortified, the children, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and especially Grace, Crystal, Kelly and Maria continued to portray a dignity that will forever up-
lift Chicago Police Officers.
“Oh my God, their strength, their strength,” exclaimed Rhi-
anna Hubbard, an officer with Special Activities who escorted the Gary family to Police Week events. “Kelly with an infant. Crystal with three. Maria with three. Erin with a teenager. They’re just holding it all together. Everybody has a different dynamic, but they’re all stepping up and handling their busi- ness.”
Hubbard knows. Not only is she seeing it firsthand, but she has 17-month-old twins. Kelly Gary called Hubbard her fairy godmother. But if godmothers work in mysterious ways, then it’s these four women who put the light in candlelight.
Maria Marmolejo flashed a beautiful smile while sitting at the National Mall, waiting for the Candlelight Vigil to begin. What was causing this grin?
“Of course he’s here,” she assured. “He’s always here.”
Seeing 30,000 people gathered to light a candle that was raised in part for her husband, who everybody affectionately called “Lalo,” made Maria feel overwhelmed but proud. She said she was looking forward to telling Lalo all about it later that night.
Rebecca Marmolejo continues to offer words to go with the emotional images, just like she did with the letter she read at her father’s funeral that Chicago Police Officers still talk about. She was smiling, too, smiling for her father. And she had an- other inspiration to offer.
“It’s really nice to see that everyone wants to honor his name, even though they didn’t even know him,” Becca shared. “Always honor him. Always remember him. Always carry him with you and know that he’s watching over us.”
Erin and Grace saw Paul’s name on the wall and knew he
Members of the Mar- molejo and Jimenez families at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2019 39