TWO BLUE RIBBONS

The eulogy of Dominique Luzuriaga widow of fallen police officer Jason Rivera was extraordinary told with deep grief and humanness. She confessed her profound love for Jason and the great guy he was. Their story began in elementary school, where they met. The innocence of their affection led to a later romantic relationship, she evokes with an ineradicable memory and preciseness of details that made the attendants of the Mass weep, giving her a standing ovation for her gentle and truthful words of loss, but saying goodbye to Jason was the hardest part as her voice quivered and tears flowed down her cheeks. This was her testimony of faithfulness and love to her beloved sweetheart. Even the attenders outside Saint Patrick's Cathedral could hear the echo of despair and sad news as she rushed to the hospital and saw thousands of people who were gloomy and silent making her think of the worse. Dominique regrets refusing a ride home quoting Jason's words..." It might be your last." She had to repress her tears...this was at the peak of her commotion missing out on the chance of a lifetime. How could she know that those words would come true and make her weep profusely? It's a regret engraved on her heart forever, sometimes we don't pay attention to words and later we realize we should have heeded them without turning down an invitation of someone who cares about us.

When a police officer swears loyalty to the badge he wears with pride knows the dangers involved and fairly serves the community he's assigned to. Everywhere he goes: his mission, more than his job, is to fight crime and deter it with watchful eyes and a sense of intuition to the best of his ability. Such was the mission of Jason Rivera, but tragedy cut him down at the height of his youth. He's looking down and smiling down on his sweetheart, Dominique offering her comfort from a heavenly place where criminals are banned from and good persons are rewarded by God for their generous and kind deeds.

Young men of all ethnicities join the Police Academy with the concept of serving their communities despite the unfriendliness and hostility they encounter. Honest and dedicated police officers are needed to make changes with their skills and professionalism. Honor them whenever you see them, they are the unyielding soldiers that keep us safe and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect us all. Jason Revera did his part, now let's do our part keeping his dream alive and bringing harmony to a broken and alienated community the hope and the harmony it needs.

After January's blizzard has left the northeast coast, get two blue ribbons and tie them around the nearest tree you can find. It's honoring the two fallen heroes of New York City. These young police officers swore their allegiance to their emblem of honor until their death. Their duty called them and they didn't hesitate. The saddest thing is their young age and the dreams they planned but were never realized encountering a horrible fate that cut down their lives in a split of a second. We can imagine the pain of their families, friends, and co-workers, and even of a stranger like me who admires their courage and loyalty to their emblem. They will be missed and remembered each day, not only on the anniversary of their tragic death. This open letter is a demonstration of my thankfulness for their service to a community that has honored them with ribbons, candles, and flowers, but most of all with the loving-kindness of their grieving hearts. A broken spirit can be mended with prayers and words of comfort, give a big hug to someone who has lost a dear one: their hope in us and others will be restored, and looking up to a sky with gleaming stars: they'll feel the presence of the one who's gone, but still sheds light on our darkest days.