- Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) hosted its Annual Memorial Wall Ceremony Monday
- The names of five more fallen deputies and sheriffs are now etched into the memorial
- Watch the video to hear from loved ones about what this commemoration means to them
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Honoring fallen heroes here in the Big Bend and beyond.
Bill Leeper, Nassau County Sheriff and FSA President: "We'll never forget your loved ones."
Michael Paul Kunovich Jr., Son of fallen officer: "It's emotional, it's powerful, and it certainly means a whole lot to me and my family
I'm neighborhood reporter Kenya Cardonne in Northeast Tallahassee.
I'm getting a closer look at the special Memorial Wall here.
I'm also learning about the five law enforcement officers honored here Monday.
Kunovich Jr.: "He was he was a great man. I love him with all my heart. I miss him every day."
Michael Paul Kunovich Jr., remembering his father— a St. John's County Sheriff's Office Sergeant who died in the line of duty.
Kunovich Jr.: "He loved helping people out, keeping people safe, he made it his life's goal to serve the community and make sure he left the world in a better place than when we found it."
The fallen officer is one of five who were honored Monday during the Florida Sheriffs Association Annual Memorial Wall Ceremony. That ceremony took place in the Northeast Tallahassee neighborhood.
Constructed in 2002, the wall now stands with hundreds of names engraved onto granite, in honor of fallen deputies and sheriffs across Florida.
Joining Sergeant Kunovich as names freshly etched onto the memorial are:
- Hernando County Sheriff's Office Sheriff Benjamin Saxon
- Marion County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jacob Gramling
- Collier County Sheriff's Office Officer Isaac Simmons
- Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Deputy Peder Thomas Johnson
FSA President Bill Leeper tells me why remembering the 431 names on the wall is so important.
Leeper: "All these individuals on the wall, as well as law enforcement officers throughout the state of Florida, raise their hand and take an oath to serve and protect their community and it takes a special person to do that and these are special people and we want to make sure they're honored."
Kunovich Jr. tells me what it means to him to see his father's name here.
Kunovich Jr.: "It's emotional, it's powerful, and it certainly means a whole lot to me and my family. What he did was very important to our community and I think it's very important to keep that fight going on and to ensure the safety of every Floridian."
The Florida Sheriffs Association was founded in 1893.
In Northeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27.
