'Little Elm, Big Hero' Shirts Honor Fallen Detective
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PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - It has been nearly two weeks since Little Elm police detective Jerry Walker was killed in the line of duty, but the support for his family has not diminished. You can join in that show of love on Monday night by purchasing a shirt designed to honor Walker's memory.
The shirt features the phrase "Little Elm, Big Hero," and they will be sold for $10 each on Monday night at 11 area Chick-Fil-A restaurants and Cousins Bar-B-Q in Fort Worth. All of the money raised from the shirt sales will go directly to Walker's family, and the restaurants will also donate a portion of Monday night's proceeds.
"I believe we're going to sell out pretty fast. We have 500 shirts at every location," said organizer Sherri Aaron. "You have a police officer saluting with his badge number on there to remember him with their city's logo."
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and was organized by the wives of North Texas area police officers, who wanted to do something to raise money for Walker's loved ones.
Walker left behind a significant other and four children. The law enforcement community wants them to know that they have support during this tough time.
The people organizing this fundraiser do not personally know Walker's family. But the connection to police is personal. Event coordinator Sherri Aaron expects the shirts to sell out. "I'm not only a citizen, but I'm part of the blue family," Aaron said. "My husband's the police chief at Mansfield, so this is personal -- personal to me -- and, actually, when I started the 'Back the Blue' campaign two years ago, it was because we needed to show these guys how much we honor and respect them."
"It gives me the boost I need sometimes," added Buddy Calzada with the Fort Worth Police Department. "When I put my duty boots on, my work belt, before you go out every time, you just know... or you never know what you're going to come in contact with. But you do know you're going to come in contact with some citizens that support and love you."