Who Knows?

Thousands of peace officers and friends gathered at the funeral for rookie Officer Christy Lynne Hamilton - less to mourn her death than to celebrate her as a woman whose refusal to let go of her dream inspired them as well. 

Hamilton's dream of becoming a Los Angeles police officer had cost her her life at the age 45.

Hamilton became the second female Los Angeles police officer to die in the line of duty when she was shot to death February 22, 1994, after four weeks on the force. She had graduated from the Police Academy just four days before she died, in a quake delayed ceremony (the graduation ceremony was delayed almost a month as they were to graduate the day of the earthquake. Rather, they were all cut lose to go out and work), with an award as the most inspirational cadet in her class.

Christy Lynne Hamilton
Date of Birth: July 25, 1948
Date Appointed: July 12 1993
End of Watch: February 22, 1994

I will tell you that there were THOUSANDS of people at her funeral...1500 fit in the church, there were equally more outside.  It was a full week before she was buried as permission from the State and Federal governments had to be received to shut down the highways to allow for the procession.  There were hundreds of motorcycle police officers leading the way and the procession was estimated to be 7 miles long.   Being that our family has a tradition of Fire Service (and her soon to be ex husband was a firefighter), fire apparatus of every kind closed the intersections and lined the roads.  Every on ramp and off ramp of the local freeways was closed...and what amazed and moved me most was to see all those people, waiting patiently in or outside their cars.  I saw many weeping and almost all those outside their cars standing at attention.  Many traveling the opposite direction had pulled over to the shoulder, and exited their cars to stand at attention.  Closer to the cemetery, the state road workers stood silently, hard hats removed as the procession passed.  It took some time to get us all into the cemetery...thousands lining the road and every conceivable open area.  It was a fully traditional LODD Funeral...the riderless horse with the backwards boots, a flyover, the piper playing Amazing Grace back under the trees, the 21 gun salute...her female classmates carried her casket and they struggled albeit only because they were so emotionally overwrought...and afterwards each classmate placed a single rose on her coffin as they filed by.  

I was also never more proud of my family.  Within 24 hours of her death, 12 of my cousins, aunts and uncles piled into my Uncle Pete's RV and drove to California.  Another cousin in L.A., had an e mpty rental property and quickly cleaned it out, and had beds and a few other pieces of furniture put in it...so between the RV and the rental home, everyone was fairly comfortable. This was also the house that we gathered at during the day...walking around the neighborhood picking oranges and lemons off the trees while we waited for all the arrangements.  I flew out with Eboy who was then only 6 months old and he was loved on and passed around...a great distraction for all.  When it was all said and done and time for everyone to leave...it was an amazing gathering of 30 or more folks on the front lawn of the house, in a circle, holding hands, or hugging while the patriarch of the family, Uncle John spoke first in memory and then led the family in the Lord's Prayer.  

Christy's name is on the Fallen Officer Memorial in Washington D.C.  I have many items and articles I have saved.  I think it's about time I make that memory box for display.