Death arrives unannounced and tragedy can befall anyone at any point in time. Things can go wrong whether we are prepared for it or not. There are people in this world who face death and danger on a regular basis as a part of their jobs. Army soldiers, firemen, and police officers deserve our utmost respect for the service that they provide us. One police officer, Chase Maddox, from Locust Grove, Georgia, found himself in a similar situation when he answered a call. Two of his fellow officers were trying to carry out an arrest warrant but the individual refused to open the door.
Michael Corley and Ralph Callaway were trying to serve a warrant when they called for assistance. “It became apparent that the suspect was not going to go with police, which is why a Locust Grove officer was called in to assist,” Sheriff Kenneth McBrayer later said. When Maddox arrived to help his colleagues out, the man behind the door open fired at them. Maddox was killed and the other two officers were gravely injured. Even though they were wearing bulletproof vests, one of the bullets was shot just below the vest and hit the officer’s waist.
Four days after Maddox’s death, his wife gave birth to their son Bodie. She took a photo of their son cradling his father’s badge. The photo has struck a chord with millions on social media. She also chose to share a song by Elvis Presley, “You’ll never walk alone. When you walk through a storm hold your head up high / And don’t be afraid of the dark. / At the end of a storm is a golden sky / And the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind, / Walk on through the rain, / Tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown. / Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart / And you’ll never walk alone, / You’ll never, ever walk alone.”
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