‘I will love you forever, Dad’: Sgt. Hooser’s daughters spoke about the man behind the badge

OREM —The two daughters of the fallen Santaquin officer gave an emotional tribute to him at the UCCU Event Center at Utah Valley University on Monday.

Shayla Terry and her sister Courtney Hooser, the two daughters of Sgt. Bill Hooser, who was killed a week ago Sunday, both talked about the dad behind the badge.

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This was the first time they had spoken publicly since losing their father to a deadly hit and run by a semi-truck driver that police say was intentional.

The youngest daughter is set to get married in September.

“My dad no longer gets to walk me down the aisle or share the daddy-daughter dance with me for my wedding. I will never understand why this happened, nor will I ever stop mourning the loss of my father,” said Courtney Hooser. “There’s pain, anger, sadness, grief and confusion. I’ve spent the last few days thinking about what it was like for my dad to lay there lifeless. And what that man took from us without remorse. I am completely broken.”

Courtney Hooser said her dad died a hero.

“I know he died doing what he loved to do—helping people. I just long for the day to get to see his beautiful face again,” she said. “My dad is nothing short of a hero. And I’m so grateful to be raised by such an admirable man. I know he leaves this world loving his three girls [wife, & daughters], sons-in-law, and sweet granddaughter. I will love you forever, Dad.”

Family of fallen Santaquin officer: ‘He died doing a job he loved’

Terry spoke of having her first child and what that meant to her father. She said he was so proud to be a grandfather.

“When my daughter Paxton was born, I saw a side of my dad that I had never seen. She was the highlight of his life. Any chance my dad could, he would go out of his way to see Paxton. He was passionate about her wearing socks. Didn’t ever agree with our pediatrician and hated her wearing a hair bow,” she said. “Regardless, I know that he was so proud of the mom I have become.”

Both sisters also spoke about having a dad who was all in – a “girl dad.”

“He attended every dance recital. Went to help pick out dresses for school dances, attended every cheerleading functions. He even learned the cheers to help with crowd involvement, and attended every gymnastics practice,” said Terry. “And he was always trying to make us laugh. How I wish I could hear his laugh one more time. Never could I have asked for a better man to be my dad while growing up.”