‘I’m sad that we don’t get to hug him again’: Wife of fallen Detroit police officer speaks out

Family had plans to attend Cedar Point next week

DETROIT – Her husband was killed in the line of duty. Now the widow of Detroit police officer Loren Courts is opening up about his life and legacy.

Despite the shock and grief, the family of officer Courts wants you to know he was an exceptional man, father, and police officer.

Everything that has transpired since Wednesday (July 6) night has been surreal for the family and, most of all, breathtakingly unfair.

It is all overwhelming and just so very, very hard.

“I am angry, but I’m more sad,” said Kristine Courts. “I’m sad that I don’t get to see him again, that we don’t get to hug him again. I’m sad. I don’t know if I have time to be angry right now.”

Kristine and Loren Courts have two beautiful children, nine-year-old Devin Courts, wearing his Batman t-shirt, and 15-year-old Darien Courts, who wore a Michigan State University sweatshirt where his dad went to school.

Read: ‘They were ambushed’: Detroit police describe events that led to officer’s murder, praise partner’s heroism

They want you to know about their dad.

“What did you love to do with your dad the most,” asked Mara MacDonald.

“Hang out with him,” said Devin Courts. “Watch a movie or play together.”

“He would put aside anything if we needed anything,” said Darien Courts. “He was just always there for whatever we needed.”

Read: Fallen Detroit officer followed his father into police work: ‘Simply loved his family’

Loren Courts loved being a Detroit police officer, but Devin and Darien Courts were his number one.

" I keep asking why,” Kristine Courts said. “I prayed so hard, and when we were at the hospital, it was unreal. Almost out of body because when they came in, you just knew right away when the doctor came in that this wasn’t going to be good.”

Her extended family and friends surrounded Kristine Courts. When Local 4 visited, the house was filled to the roof.

But in so many ways, she and her children are at the center of a whirlwind. With a vast feeling of emptiness. How do you fill what is now a giant aching void?

“There’s a lot that I cant do for them that he can do, and he was supposed to be here to that, and now, there’s just some things I won’t be able to do, but I’m going to do the best I can.”

If you would like to help out the family, click here.


About the Authors

Brandon Carr is a digital content producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with WDIV Local 4 since November 2021. Brandon is the 2015 Solomon Kinloch Humanitarian award recipient for Community Service.

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