Utah Law Enforcement Officers killed in the line of duty remembered during trail ride
Apr 21, 2018, 5:50 PM | Updated: Apr 22, 2018, 11:22 am
MOAB – Riding 4-wheelers and side-by-sides on trails is part of what draws thousands to Moab every year.
You’ll see them almost any weekend of the year, especially with Memorial Day approaching.
But even with so much to do in the area, Jenny Brotherson would rather tell people riding the trails about her son.
“I could talk about Cody for hours,” said Brotherson during a ceremony Saturday morning. “17 months ago, our lives were forever changed.”
Cody Brotherson was a West Valley City police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
“To this day, there is a gaping hole in our hearts that will never be filled,” said Brotherson while speaking into a microphone on a stage in front of hundreds of people.
The Utah Peace Officer Association held its annual trail ride this weekend.
It takes place on the Fallen Peace Officers Trail, where those who died in the line of duty in Utah are remembered.
The trail is 14 miles long, and at every mile, there is a sign honoring a fallen officer.
Every year, different officers are remembered.
“Those are the kind of men and women who deserve the highest honor,” said Janica Ellsworth.
She was here honoring her late husband Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Ellsworth.
Ellsworth and Brotherson were given Purple Hearts medals to honor their loved ones.
“Eric wasn’t the type of person that liked recognition, but I think it’s so important we honor these men and women that have given their lives for their state and community,” said Ellsworth.
Cody Brotherson and Eric Ellsworth died in the past couple of years, but this event honors all fallen law enforcement officers – even those who died more than a hundred years ago.
One sign honored US Marshal William Storey, who died in 1870.
“To think that they’re honoring officers in the 1800’s and they’re searching to find these family members, it’s amazing,” said Carolyn Jones, whose husband, David, died in the line of duty 15 years ago. “They truly never forget. It brought tears to my eyes.”
Rollin Tanner, a Salt Lake City police officer, died nearly a hundred years ago.
His great-granddaughter attended the ceremony as proud as ever.
“As a young girl, about seven years old, I remember about hearing this story and being told the story many times,” said Jerry Tanner-Christopherson Astel. “But it always seemed kind of like a fairy tale.”
It’s a solemn, yet unique way to honor their sacrifice.
“How amazing that people still think about them, remember them, and tell their story,” said Brotherson.
It’s a story that doesn’t end just because their lives did.
