Yesterday, our city came together to remember and celebrate the life of our fallen police officer, Sergeant Craig Johnson. Watching the live coverage on the television, my family sat and was in awe at our city and the hundreds, if not thousands, that came out in some way at the funeral or along the procession route to show support and stand out in solidarity for our police officers who lost a leader in what it means to be one of the good cops.
I would have liked to be along the procession route with everyone else, but… work 🙃
While the livestream showed the many vehicles driving past, they talked a bit about what occurred inside the church building during the funeral. Many people shared something about what Craig meant to them, what he showed them, taught them. To me, it always seems like the really good ones, the ones that go out of their way to help the community and just be a genuinely great human, are the ones to go sooner.
His pastor said that he has always referred to him as just Craig. He doesn’t know him as Sergeant Craig Johnson like many of us have either in the police department or in the past week and a half since he was fatally wounded. Just that statement, that he was Craig, is something many people need to remember. These men and women are more than walking uniforms with a job to do, they are human in every way and they have a life outside of the uniform and badge. He was devoted to his work, so much so that he gave his life protecting the community he patrolled. He was devoted to the Lord and committed to doing the Lord’s work ~ he walked into his department set out to work as if he was working for the Lord. He died just as we may die, as many have, for the name of Jesus, if need be.
Our city mourned deeply the loss of a brother in blue. To me, getting to know Craig and the life he lived via news outlets and testimonies of people online, has made me truly believe I have lost a brother in Christ as well. So we mourn for our brother’s family ~ a wife, parents and two boys and many other family and friends.
An officer by profession, a brother by born-again blood. RIP.