Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

The thin blue line is thinner today, but its mystery is that it will never disappear. As long as there are men and women willing to pin the badge on everyday and walk through the "valley of the shadow of death", the thin blue line survives! As long as there are those among us willing to be the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong, the thin blue line, the great equalizer, continues through our nation wrapping itself around the world! We police officers are a resilient gang...we will carry on the mission that we have chosen. We must! To honor the memory of Trooper Blanton, and the many who have gone before him, we must carry on. To the family of Trooper Blanton: My words will never fill your void...ever...I will not even try. My prayers, and the nation's, are with you all. To the many other Troopers of the Virginia State Police: Dig down deep, and search for the fortitude and the courage to do what you have to do. Let the thin blue line envelope you. Lean on each other. Remember Michael...EVERYDAY, and never forget his family! Honor him by honoring them every chance you get.

GRIEF IS AN HONOR

"Accumulated grief and sorrow, no longer to be held at bay, have swarmed up and blown
the hinges off the gate. Grief and sorrow have flattened me.
After the gate flew open, I learned the most important lessons of my life. I learned that
grief is precisely equivalent to love, and the terrible grief felt after the loss of a person one
has loved deeply is a necessary consequence of that love and represents its survival in
another form. However bitterly, grief is an honor.
I learned that grief universally saturates and enriches our world, for sooner or later loss
of an almost unimaginable order transforms everyone. Parents die, brothers and sisters
die, even children die, and these deaths create irreparable wounds that shrink over time but
never heal. On all sides, tears lie just beneath the surface. The emotion that gives rise to
those tears is a connective tissue extending far, far down into our common humanity and
our individual beings, and in those depths it becomes indistinguishable from joy."

Lt. T.D. Barge
East Point Police, E. Point, Ga.

May you rest in peace.
Sincerly,
Your Brother in Blue!!!

Anonymous

Another one of our hero's lives is taken too soon. My deepest sympathy to the family, friends and co-workers of Trooper Blanton. May the Lord give you strength and bless each of you during this time.
Rest in peace for your watch here is over walk in heavens beat and guide us all to protect and serve others safely.

US Ranger Catroppa
National Park Service Kennesaw GA

Sincere sympathy goes out to the family,friends, and other co-workers of Trooper Blanton.You all will be included in my prayers and thoughts.

Trooper C.E. Johnson Jr.
Virginia State Police

Rest in Peace Brother...You will never be forgotten.

Inv. G. C. Wall
Norfolk Police

The loss of Trooper Blanton is felt by all men and women who wear a uniform and serve their fellow man. Our tears and prayers are with the family and friends. No words can remove the pain and there is no explaination for this loss. The question of why will never be answered. But take comfort in our Lord Jesus Christ he will provide. Matt 5:9

surviving father
OHP Trp C. Van Krevelen J952
EOW 11-28-02

Sgt. R. Van Krevelen (ret)
Enid Police, Enid Okla

First to say that my thoughts and prayers are with Michael's family, and especially with his wife, Dana, and his precious child, Spencer. Michael was the image of professionalism, had the heart of gold and was a true friend. He touched my life as well as my husband's with that big heart of his. I can't think of anything else to say but that he will truly be missed here on earth, but I do take comfort in knowing he will be watching us from up above. We love you Mike...

Janet Talbott
USAF Security Police Spouse

Rest in peace brother. Thankyou for your service. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your family and friends.

Officer
Prince William County PD

I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of a husband and a father. My prayers are with you, your son, and all the family and may god bless you all through these horible times.

Patrolman Darrell Jones
Lexington Police Lexington,KY

GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN! For now we have the watch that you so bravely gave your life for. Honor and defend it we will, for now we have an angel to always guide us. Rest in peace our brother,YOU SHALL FOREVER BE MISSED.

To Michael's family my deepest sympathy and most heartfelt prayers are with you. Take strength from our heavenly Father, the VSP, and all your family in blue from all over the country for we are with you.

Son of Ret. VSP MSTR TPR James E. Porter (DIV. 4 Wytheville)

Reserve Deputy
Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Greenville , S.C.

I worked with Mike Blanton when he was in the US Air Force stationed at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, home of NORAD in Colorado Sprigns Colorado. He was a super AF troops and a super security policeman. He used his military training well and went on to bigger and better things in civilian law enforcement. We are proud of hiim. This is extremely tragic and sad news. Our deepest sympathy to his entire family. Respectfully,
D.L. Raimondi
Chief Master Sgt, Retired, USAF

D. Raimondi, CMSgt (retired)
US Air Force

God Bless You Brother

Ofc. Scott Sparks
Chesterfield Co Police, Va

GOD BLESS TROOPER BLANTONS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS. OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES. IT SADDENS ME TO KNOW THE LAST THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS LISTED ON ODMP WAS KILLED DUE TO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. TROOPER BLANTON, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE. A HERO IS NEVER FORGOTTEN.GOD BLESS.

CHIEF RONNIE WATFORD-RETIRED
JEFFERSON POLICE DEPT,S.C.

Trooper Blanton family and friends our hearts and prayers go out to you.


God Bless you

Terry Miyares, surviving spouse
Officer Emilio F. Miyares, Hialeah PD, FL, EOW 11/6/86

Every night we burn the blue light, the blue light keeps you and others who paid the price in our sight.

One more police officer died today, freedom come's at such a great price. While we share with your department the mourning of tragic passing of our bother in uniform, we are reminded that each act of courage -large or small- is not what makes us Heroes, but makes us all Americans.

With every passing of a fallen Officer we grow ever stronger with dedication to serve. Thank you Officer Wood for your example of our fiber. For we don't know how to say goodbye, so we will see you in another day. As we look to the stars at night, we see the refection of your badge so bright.

We know that God has a special place for the peace keepers. We vow to never forget your foot steps here on earth. Every night we burn the blue light, the blue light keeps you and others who paid the price in our sight.

God Bless your family & friends

RJF CPD

Sgt. R. Franchino
Clarkstown Police

OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOUR FAMILY.... REST IN PEACE.... WE HAVE THE WATCH.

SPECIAL AGENT
SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (SLED)

May your love continue to burn in the heart of your spouse and your light continue to shine from the heart of your child. Rest in peace my unknown friend. God bless your soul.

Trooper 1/C K.B. Duncan
Maryland State Police

The prayers and sympathy of my family go out to Michael, his family, friends, and co-workers at this most difficult time. Find comfort in one another.

Ptl. P.K. Harding
Binghamton (NY) P.D.

We mourn the loss of a great husband, father, public servant and true friend. Michael touched many lives in ways no one will ever know. I miss you brother.

Lt Todd Talbott
United States Air Force

May God bless you and your family and may you rest in peace.
What happened to you is such a tragedy, and there are no words that can explain the tremendous loss.

Anonymous

May God Bless Dana and Spencer...........Nothing more need be said except we grieve for the loss of a brother and fallen comrade. But our loss pales in comparison to the loss of a husband.......to the loss of a father. May comfort in some way find Michael's family, his friends, and all those whom his life touched. While our hearts swell with anger over yet another senseless tragedy, let us fondly remember Michael and find comfort where we can. God speed Michael........

"The wicked flee where no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion..........."

Trooper J.P. Flanary
Virginia State Police

My thoughts and prayers go out to the wife, family, friends, cowokers and especially to the young son of this true hero. May his son know now and forever what a true hero his dad was. Rest in peace now Trooper Blanton and continue your watch from above, and thank you for the job you did on earth.

Deb Azure
Mother of Deputy Renee Azure, EOW 08/06/2002

Rest easy, Troop. Your days of fighting are over. We will continue for you. May God bless your family and co-workers.

Deputy M. Moore
Warren County S.O. (OH)

Rest in peace Trooper Blanton. You, your family and fellow Troopers are in our thoughts and prayers. You were sadly and tragically lost, but you live on in your young son and he will always remember you as a hero as will all of us. God Bless.

A brother in blue

Ptlm
CPD, NY

To the family of Trooper Blanton, the brother officers with the Chesterfield Police Dept would like to say our thoughts and prayers are with you. As an officer who knew Tpr Blanton, the loss if felt deeply. God bless and God speed Tpr Blanton, your watch is over.

Off SW Marree U-366
Chesterfield Police Dept