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So, this week sucks. A family friend of ours named Mike Krol died in Dallas this week, one of the 5 police officers who were killed in the line of duty. I am just feeling lost, and hurt, and I can't even imagine what his family is going though. I am crying just thinking of it, and have been off and on since Friday when I found out.
My wife mentioned she had posted a link about one of the officers, as he was from western MA and had graduated the same year and she did, but I didn't think anything of it as I grew up in MI. When I got home, about 11:30pm, I looked at the link, and noticed the name sounded familiar. Then I saw the blurb....that that officer had spent most of his life in MI, and my heart sank, and I got sick to my stomach. I clicked the link, and the second line was about how his dad was a store manager for JCPenney, and I realized it was Mike.
My dad and his dad, Frank Krol, rose though the ranks of the same store in Sterling Heights, MI, and were close friends. I met Mike when I was about 8 or 9, I think, and he was probably 3 or 5. Our families were really close as kids. We saw each other at store picnics, then on vacations and birthday parties, and they would go fishing and water skiing with us every summer.
We moved to MA in 1988, and about 6 months or a year later Frank was also transferred there. I went into the Army, so I didn't see much of them in MA, but our parents were still close and went out often to dinner and bowling. Eventually his parents divorced, and we saw less of them, but we always remained in touch.
Mike was about 6 years younger than me, and my sister was closer to him than I was, and she remembers he ALWAYS wanted to become a police officer. He was kind, and a genuine nice guy. Before he was shot he was actually taking pictures with the protesters, for God's sake. He was there for their protection. and when the shooting started he ran towards the gunfire.....and it cost him his life.
I had to call my parents at 11:45 pm and wake them up, because they had just released the names in the evening, and I didn't want to hear about it on the news. It turns out that Frank Krol remarried, and someone I went to high school with is his step daughter.
Small freaking world.
Last time I saw Mike, IIRC, he was at my families cottage in MI. I am heading there tomorrow, and if his funeral is there I will be attending, if the family allows it.
I knew him for 35 years or so, and now he is gone. Unbelievable.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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I am on vacation right now in MI, and his funeral is Monday and Tuesday, about 4 hours away. Looks like my family will be making the 4 hour drive, each way, to pay our respects.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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We went to his visitation last night, and his funeral with full honors is being broadcast today. We drove 4 hours each way to be there....and his mom saw us and burst into tears. It was the first time she had cried all day.
I reconnected with some people from high school, which was nice, and saw most of his family.
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