Fallen Officer Inducted Into His H.S.' Hall of Fame
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hundreds of high school students witnessed a touching tribute Wednesday to an officer killed in the line of duty.
It's been four months since Mendota Heights Police Officer Scott Patrick was gunned down as he made a traffic stop in West St. Paul.
He graduated from St. Paul's Humboldt High School in 1985. Mendota Heights Police Officer John Larrive spoke on behalf of the family at the ceremony in the school gym.
"Scott was so proud of being raised on the west side of St. Paul and graduating from Humboldt High School. He took it as a personal accomplishment as well as he should have, becoming a police officer after graduating from Humboldt," Larrive said.
A medal and some flowers symbolize the affection and respect for Officer Patrick. St. Paul Police Chief Tom Smith also spoke at the school assembly.
"We get to help people, but it's a dangerous job sometimes, too. And Scott gave the ultimate sacrifice, protecting all of us in this room," Smith said.
For Officer Patrick's widow, Michelle Patrick, this school is a special place. It's where she met her husband. They were high school sweethearts.
"I think I was a little hard to get because he kind of somewhat stalked me at times. He filled out an application to date me," Michelle said, noting Scott had a great sense of humor.
After 26 years of marriage, she says this Thanksgiving will be tough.
"A lot of times he would work Thanksgiving. We'd be expecting him to stop in, in his uniform, to have some food," she said. "So that will be kind of hard. It might seem like he's at work, but then it's like, 'Why didn't he stop for food?'"
The couple's daughters are teenagers: One a freshman in high school, and the other a freshman in college.
"They're both doing pretty well for what I can tell. I guess I am kinda getting concerned of how they are doing and if they're not really letting me know. But they seem to be doing okay," Michelle said.
Officer Patrick's family now has a new place to visit to remember him. His photo will hang on the walls of Humboldt High School's library.
Michelle says she and her daughters are going to her mother's house for Thanksgiving. She also has a nephew getting married on Friday, so she says they have something to look forward to this weekend.
