More Goodbyes

Goodbyes are not forever.  Goodbyes are not the end.  They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again!

Life is full of hellos and goodbyes.  Sometimes the goodbyes are just for a little bit; sometimes they are for a lifetime.  The past week or so I have said goodbye (thankfully not the lifetime type of goodbye) to two amazing people.  The first goodbye was my friend Brian who is taking a new job as a police officer in Las Vegas.   I have been lucky enough to know Brian for over 5 years when he started to work for ISP as a dispatcher.  He was just a kid, barely out of high school and still proudly wearing braces.  Even though he was young he was a good, solid dispatcher.   Almost immediately I liked him and we quickly became friends.  Brian is the kind of person who has an amazing heart.  While working for ISP he was driving home from work and stopped and helped a dog on the side on I84 that had been hit by a car.  Because of his actions he even made it on the news. 

 

Since he was little he wanted to be an officer so it came as no shock when he was hired on as officer at Mountain Home PD as soon as he turned 21 (he started POST at age 20 and turned 21 right after). 

 

He still came in and helped dispatch at ISP from time to time (which I might add he always rocked at no matter how much time would pass between shifts) and every time he walked through those doors I couldn’t help but smile.  We would talk or text from time to time and I loved watching how he quickly became an amazing officer.  I liked to joke with him he was the poster child for Mt Home PD as he was always on their Facebook page.  When I think of a role model for officers Brian comes to my mind. 

 

I kept hoping that one day he would become a Trooper and my wish almost came true but then he meet a girl and we lost him to Las Vegas PD.  A few weeks before he left Brian made the news again; this time is was for saving the life of an elderly female from a house fire.  I had to smile when I heard about it, it doesn’t surprise me at, he is just that kind of guy.  We were able to meet for lunch a couple weeks ago to say our goodbyes.  I had taken one of my favorite pictures I had taken of him and had it printed on canvas to give to him.  The moment he saw it both our eyes started to water and neither one of us could really talk. 

 

I am thankful to know Brian.  Las Vegas is lucky to have him and I know he will do amazing things for them.  I am going to miss seeing his face but know we will stay in touch. 

 

Good luck Brian and stay safe!!  You will be missed here in Idaho!     

My second goodbye was to one of my Troopers, Craig Boll, who retired.  I was lucky enough to witness his last duty as an officer and it was to be an honor guard member at ATC #44’s graduation Friday, Sept 23. 

(he is the one holding the Idaho flag)

 

I have been lucky enough to get to know Craig through the years being his dispatcher as well as taking pictures of events where the honor guard participated in or when he had helped out with ATC classes. 

 

He is another officer that I know that is just the best of the best.  Hard working with a good heart and someone that I look up too.  He has a way of making me feel good about the job I do as dispatcher and I always enjoyed when I got to work with him. 

 

When I heard he was retiring I knew I wanted to do something special for him so I printed off one of my favorite pictures of him on canvas (similar to the gift I did for Brain). 

 

On his last day I was able to take pictures of him performing his last duty.  I felt tears spring to my eyes more than one.  During the graduation they had Craig stand in front while they thanked him for his service to ISP as well as to the people of Idaho.  After graduation I was honored to take pictures as he handed off his number (their numbers are a big part of who they are at ISP) to the new “baby” Trooper who he knows, it was a very special moment to both of them.  There wasn’t a dry eye as it happened, including both Troopers.  It was my favorite moment of the whole day and something I will never forget. 

 

I hope to stay in touch with Craig and wish him a happy retirement.  I am going to miss working with him like crazy!