Eleven-year-old Adam Pays Special Tribute to All Fallen Heroes

Etching an officer’s name on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is a meaningful and special tradition. It allows individuals to bring a bit of the Memorial home with them—more specifically, an outlined name of a fallen officer whom they will never forget. To surviving family members and loved ones, these etchings serve as constant, tangible reminders of the sacrifices made and the lives lived by such selfless and courageous individuals.

That key sentiment was not lost on Adam, the 11-year-old son of a 20-year law enforcement veteran and member of Virginia II Chapter of the Blue Knights. Adam attended his second LawRide on May 9th during National Police Week 2011 and spent time selling Memorial Fund merchandise in order to raise funds for a cause particularly significant to him and his family.

During Adam’s visit to the Memorial, he displayed compassion well beyond his years for all 19,298 officers whose names adorn the marble walls. One of the names on the monument represents a close friend and colleague whom Adam’s father worked with for nine years. Virginia State Police Trooper Mark Cosslett, or “Cooter” as he was known by those closest to him, was killed in a motorcycle accident while responding to a call of shots fired on October 23, 2002, during the sniper attacks in the Washington, DC area.

Adam demonstrated his gratitude and honored not only his friend , but all those who have died in the line of duty, by tracing letters from several different names on the Memorial walls in order to create his special tribute message: “Rest In Peace. None Of You Will Ever Be Forgotten.” As you can see in the photos, these powerful words were flanked by “VSP” in the lower right-hand corner of the paper to represent the Virginia State Police in remembrance of Trooper Cosslett, as well as Adam’s father, who continues to serve today.

Many unique tributes like Adam’s are left at the Memorial each day, especially during National Police Week, and each has its own extraordinary story and significance.

Share your own personal tributes at www.LawMemorial.org/Tributes.