ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla – Dozens of St. Johns County law enforcement officers gathered Friday morning to honor their fallen brothers.
The memorial honored 15 fallen officers, including Deputy Joshua Blyler. He died 12 years ago after crashing his patrol car while rushing to an emergency call.
News4Jax spoke with his father, Johnny Blyler, who has made it his mission to help those who are going through what he already has. He said talking with other survivors is a way of healing for him.
"You need to be a good listener," Blyler said. "It's emotional. You cry a lot, and I try to meet all the new survivors."
The sheriff's office says it's committed to remembering the fallen men and women no matter how much time goes by and the surviving family members, like Blyler, appreciate that.
The memorial served as a lead up to the National Police Memorial Week held annually in Washington, DC.