This week, an enormous event is descending on Washington DC where no one will protest, riot or wreak havoc. The National Law Enforcement Memorial Week is a special time where tens of thousands of law enforcement officers, their families and supporters will come together from all over the country and some as far as Australia, Europe and the UK to honor the fallen and provide comfort to their families.
Most citizens are not familiar with this annual gathering and many ask why so many attend even though they don’t know anyone being honored that year. Unless one is familiar with the community, one can’t fathom traveling from all over the country or world to pay respect to complete strangers.
It’s quite difficult to put into words and one has to experience this event to truly understand. I have often told fellow officers that each of us should attend this event at least once in our careers to experience the camaraderie that is so very difficult to find in our day to day professional lives among brothers and sisters we see every day.
In these days and times where most of what you hear about law-enforcement is negative, the media focuses on the negative because, let’s face it, controversy sells. The truth is, the vast majority of those who wear the uniform are working hard each day for the great good, despite the dangers that every time they put on their uniform and often even on their days off. It’s who they are, on and off duty. They took an oath to protect and that oath knows no time clock.
National Law Enforcement Memorial Week was declared in the 1960s by President John F. Kennedy and over the decades it has become a sacred place where we not only honor the fallen, but we come together to lean on one another and remind each other that we are not alone.
The career not only comes with a risk to our physical well-being, the beating our bodies take from wearing a heavy gun belt everyday for 20+ years, the fights we have with bad guys, the car crashes that come because someone wasn’t paying attention and so much more. For the most part, the bumps and bruises heal with time, but the traumatic memories that are burned into our brain remain, locked away, not to be spoken of because it’s too painful and we don’t want to be perceived as weak.
Police Week is a place where we can come together with brothers and sisters who carry they same scars, and while often unspoken, it’s understood that we share these burdens and just get each other. It’s during these times we are often allowed to let our guard down with one another, because we know we have each other six. We drink, we tell stories which are often funny because let’s face it, laughter is the best medicine. We raise a toast to those we’ve lost and for a few days we get to feel the camaraderie that is vital to our mental well-being.
Heroes United to Heal is truly honored to have been selected as a vendor for this year’s Police Week Tent City. We hope those in attendance will stop by and talk to us, learn about our mission and perhaps help us support those who are suffering in silence.
Additionally, we are extraordinarily honored to be joined by Commander Rodney Magellan, retired US Navy SEAL, US Marshal, and CIA operator.
Both Rodney and our founder, Donna Michaels, will be signing their books and enjoying their time getting to know everyone who stops by.
We are so grateful to Sons of Liberty Gun Works for being our official sponsor and for donating an OB1 rifle for us to raffle off during this event. All proceeds from the raffle and sales at our vendor tent will be used to fund suicide prevention retreats for first responders and veterans near Yellowstone National Park in the majestic mountains of Montana.
We wish everyone safe travels and we look forward to meeting as many of our brothers and sisters in blue as possible.
Most importantly, we truly hold a special place in our hearts for the families who have lost their own hero and may we not forget what this week is truly about.
Donna A. Michaels
Founder, Heroes United to Heal Foundation
Retired Law Enforcement Officer
US Navy Veteran
Author of Courageously Broken
