AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (CBS DETROIT) — The community finally said goodbye fallen Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Reckling at the Apostolic Church in Auburn Hills, where his visitation and funeral were held Friday.
The lead pastor, the Rev. Steve Warman, estimates that at least 3,000 people attended the service honoring Reckling for his dedication and making the ultimate sacrifice.
“The police community is very supportive of each other. They never want to have to do this. But when they do, they show up in droves to care for each other and show their support for this family,” said Vern Pixley of Pixley Funeral Home.
The outpouring of support for Reckling is uniting a community.
With thanks to: Pixley Funeral Home
“You feel it; it’s down to earth. But it’s also almost like a reunion,” Warman said.
Colleagues and loved ones gather to remember Reckling, a 30-year-old Romeo High School graduate who enjoyed hunting and fishing and spending time with his family.
“I think they want him to be remembered as someone who would do anything for you, as a loving husband and father, and as someone who cared deeply about his community and the people he served,” Pixley said.
Reckling was killed while tracking a stolen vehicle in Detroit. A 18-year-old charged with lying to police and resisting arrest in connection with the murder.
“It hurts. You’re angry, but you’re also hurt. You’re worried about your family, about your partners and all that. My grandson is at work and I was talking to someone else whose daughter is also at work. And they constantly worried about ‘Is my relative next?’ And you wonder, ‘Am I next?'” said Steve Dolunt of the Michigan Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors.
At the request of the family, only the guard of honor led the procession to Reckling’s final resting place.
“And unlike on TV, when a cop loses his life, all these people are in mourning. On TV, they go back to work the next day. No, the mental aspect is bad. Don’t give up on us. We keep trying and don’t give up on society,” Dolunt said.
