WDAF-TV, Kansas City
WYANDOTTE COUNTY, Kan. — Just days before Christmas, the family of a Wyandotte County deputy killed in the line of duty are saying thank you and remembering a life lost too soon.
Deputies Patrick Rohrer and Theresa King were shot and killed in June by an inmate during a transport from court back to jail.
Rohrer died at the age of 35. He left behind a wife and two small children. King died at the age of 44, leaving behind three children.
On Wednesday, Rohrer’s family shared the following letter with FOX4:
Christmas, we are told that Christmas is the season of reflection on times past, enjoy and look at the present and dream, hope and envision a future of possibilities.
This year I am reflecting on my past and at my age there is a lot of past, not just the long ago past but the past of this year, I am looking at the present and saying Thank you for what I have, and we are trying to envision a future of possibilities. With that said I need to explain a few things as we DO have things to be Thankful for.
This year our family was torn apart with the tragic killing of our family member Deputy Patrick Rohrer. Pat was a son, brother, husband, father, son-in-law, brother-in-law, uncle and Brother to mankind. He loved his family, wife, kids, and what he did.
He protected ALL of us and never stopped trying Pat was killed in the line of duty. He was generous and a geek but that is just one of the things that made him special in his quirkiness.
This year our family has had to experience his death, with birthdays, an anniversary, Thanksgiving, and now we will have to experience our first Christmas holiday without him.
Some may say how tragic this year was and it was, however, we have also experienced LOVE. So much love and understand this love came from all around the world.
You see our family does not just include us now but the family of mankind and all the Police and law enforcement agencies from everywhere. Not just the local police that was here to support us through all of this from KCMOPD, KCK, Johnson County, Overland Park, Shawnee, Merriam and all the city police departments near us but the ones from around the world.
They gave us their love and support thru cards, letters, patches, pins from around the world and from every law enforcement agency that anyone can think of. This came from local, city, county, state, ALL fifty of our United States, the FBI, CIA, Army, Navy, Border Patrol, Special Forces as well as Canada, Australia, England, Germany Switzerland and many other countries. You see our family is world-wide and far reaching.
So as I think of our new family I think of the following:
Everyone needs to remember to smile a little in our everyday hectic lives, the smile you give someone may be the only smile they receive and it might just make their day-and you never know it might make you feel better also. Take that extra minute that it might take and tell the ones that are important to you that they ARE important to you as this may be the last minute you have with your loved ones or that they have with you.
Look up from the phones that seem to rule our lives and live a life not just text or play one-say please and Thank you and TRY to be polite
So, Merry Christmas Happy Holidays and Thank you to all the ones in Blue and everyone in law enforcement and everyone serving our country and most importantly BE SAFE.
From Santa, Mrs. Claus and all the Carr family elves — Patrick we love you, miss you, and we will keep your generosity and kindness alive.