PONTIAC, Mich. – On the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, families and first responders gathered in Pontiac to honor the lives of Michigan police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty.
As bagpipes played and flags flew, the Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial stood as a symbol of remembrance.
“We will not be backed down and we will not shy away from it,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said during the ceremony.
The memorial, located outside the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, is the only place in Michigan where the names of every police officer and firefighter killed in the line of duty are remembered together — more than 900 in total.
This year, new names were added, including Detroit police officer Kelvin Patrick, who was paralyzed by gunshot wounds in 1996 and died earlier this year.
“He’s right here. I see him,” said his son, Kyle Patrick, as he traced his father’s name etched in granite. “To be able to live in the memory that my dad has touched so many, to be considered a hero in this moment, and to have his name etched in this wall where he will be remembered forever outside of my family and me.”
For families like Lauren Hill’s, the ceremony is deeply personal.
Hill lost her father, Detroit police officer Patrick Hill, when she was 12 years old.
He died in 2013 after an accidental gunshot wound during a high-speed chase of a murder suspect.
Lauren was also the recipient of the $2,500 Memorial Scholarship, presented by Cheryl Callahan.
She said she will use this money to help her pay for her higher education at Grace College, where she hopes to become a Christian counselor.
“I got the scholarship because I am very passionate about my education in doing the Lord’s will, which is to be a Christian counselor and really just bringing people’s eyes back to Jesus,” said Lauren.
“I think the one thing I feel the most is love,” Lauren said as she looked upon her father’s name, etched in the memorial wall. “And this lets me know that his work was not in vain, and that he is a hero. And that even though he’s not here now, there are still others that love him and love him enough and honor him enough to just give him memory.”
Detroit police Chief Todd Bettison also paid tribute to Lauren’s father as he addressed the entire gathering.
“Lauren, just thank you for making your dad proud. I knew Patrick Hill. He was an amazing, amazing crime fighter, just a warrior with a real big heart,” Bettison said.
He also reflected on the community’s support for officers.
“Just like we put on our armor, our bulletproof vests, but to have the community show up for us like this — it gives us that extra push and it keeps us encouraged,” Bettison said.
The Michigan Fallen Heroes Memorial is open year-round, inviting anyone who wants to pause, reflect, and pay tribute to the men and women who gave their lives for their communities.