Thanks,

Nohemy

This may be a bit unusual to set up a web site for a fallen husband and father but when a friend suggested it I was excited about the idea. Little makes me feel happy these days, as you might imagine, but honoring my husband, preserving his memory and being able to let you know how I feel about a couple issues is important to me.

I have three main priorities for this site:

#1 I want to gather as much as I can regarding Erik and the impressions he made on people both while he lived and by dying in the line of duty. I receive a lot of positive feedback about Erik and the life he lived, and we had together, but our son Roy doesn’t hear it as much as I do. I also want to preserve a record so that when our beautiful daughter Samantha is old enough or ready she will have a “fresh perspective” that is not diluted by the passing of time. I want to gather links to other web sites, store data, and have a blog where we can have a conversation of sorts. I don’t know how often I will post but I would appreciate any posts you make to add to the record and I will respond as I can or have time to. The only reason this is getting done now is because of conversations with friends and them giving me the words to approve and make sure their mine. I don’t think I could write this on my own right now.

#2 By doing #1 and gathering and preserving the record I want to honor Erik. He served his country faithfully for 21 years. He was at TPD for 4 years and he gave his life to protect all of us when the community was in danger. He was a wonderful husband and we had a “perfect life” together. He was an awesome father to his first child Roy who now has a family of his own and to our daughter Samantha who was a gift from God after losing three previous pregnancies. Most of all Erik was a man who’s driving force was a deep faith in God and his son Jesus who we believe to be the savior of mankind. It doesn’t mean we always get what we want, it means we are forgiven and have eternal life. Right now I need to know that God is always with me and that Erik is already with God.

#3 I want to express my desire that Thank A Cop day should be held every year. I can tell you from my conversations with Erik at the end of his day that Cops need all the support they can get. Their job is difficult, stressful and for the most part they are not patted on the back enough. I appreciate very much Tucson celebrating with a Thank A Cop day after Erik died, but we need to tell them how much we appreciate them while they are still here. There are plans being made for a memorial to Erik and to all the officers who have fallen at TPD before Erik. There is discussion about doing so for all First Responders. I think all that needs to be done. My first choice would be to have a memorial just for TPD Cops. Or, if there is a memorial for all first responders, I would like the different services to be separate at that memorial. I think it should be on public land, after all they are city employees, and then that memorial could be the focus of an annual Thank A Cop day or Thank Our First Responders day maybe around memorial day. At a city park would be great and it could be another place to go and do things in Tucson.

Sincerely,

Nohemy Hite