I was out on a quick trip to Target in Gainesville, VA with my family yesterday when I spotted a fallen officer's brother inside the store doing the honored work of police officers everywhere, serving his community on just another ordinary day. Officer Dale Yung, a Prince William County (VA) police officer, was on-duty assisting a group of paramedics inside the store. I recognized Dale from his uniform and distinctive expression as a survivor of a very personal police tragedy.
Dale's brother, Prince William County Officer Chris Yung, was taken from us on December 31, 2012 in an on-duty motorcycle crash outside of another Target store in Bristow, VA. I pass his small, roadside memorial there almost every week, as thousands of us do in this area. I still remember when I heard Dale speak with great emotion and tremendous raw love about his brother at Officer Yung's funeral service. He presented himself as someone in the midst of a terrible grief. Dale was, and still is, courageous like his brother was. Chris would be proud to know that Dale still wears the badge and carries on with the important mission of protecting and serving the public today.
What can you say to the brother of a fallen officer? It's not easy to know. Here is what I said:
"Are you Chris Yung's brother? I want to shake your hand. Thank you for what you and your family have done for this community. We will never forget. We still miss Chris every day."
God bless the Yung family. They deserve our respect and appreciation always, like the families of all fallen officers everywhere.
[Pictured: Dale and Brian Yung at the police memorial courtesy of Washington Times]
Dale's brother, Prince William County Officer Chris Yung, was taken from us on December 31, 2012 in an on-duty motorcycle crash outside of another Target store in Bristow, VA. I pass his small, roadside memorial there almost every week, as thousands of us do in this area. I still remember when I heard Dale speak with great emotion and tremendous raw love about his brother at Officer Yung's funeral service. He presented himself as someone in the midst of a terrible grief. Dale was, and still is, courageous like his brother was. Chris would be proud to know that Dale still wears the badge and carries on with the important mission of protecting and serving the public today.
What can you say to the brother of a fallen officer? It's not easy to know. Here is what I said:
"Are you Chris Yung's brother? I want to shake your hand. Thank you for what you and your family have done for this community. We will never forget. We still miss Chris every day."
God bless the Yung family. They deserve our respect and appreciation always, like the families of all fallen officers everywhere.
[Pictured: Dale and Brian Yung at the police memorial courtesy of Washington Times]
RSS Feed