Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Dear Mark,

Lily spent the night with us last night. We went to Flint to watch Kyle play baseball. He pitched the first two innings. Lily really like being in the dome. Today while we were driving her home she let out a stinker. I told her that was called passing wind. She thought that was funny so when she saw Yvonne she said she blew wind. It was so funny. Yvonne was cracking up. Anyways she is growing up quickly. She dictated part of a story she made up to Dad and then the rest of it to me. She drew pictures at the side and bottom of the story. She is quite the story teller and has a great imagination. Her vocabulary is probably that of a ten year old.She is so smart. Yvonne has spent a lot of quality time with her and it shows. She got a good report card. You would be so proud of her. She talks about you too. She asks me questions or tells me things that Yvonne has told her about you. Sorry to say she does not have blonde hair. Her hair is the same color as Yvonne's. (brown) Well it's time for church. I love and miss you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

February 8, 2009

Just been thinking of you lately.

Keep up the good work watching over us, you have been a real help for us.

Still praying for your family.

Anonymous

February 3, 2009

Mark,

I smelled your cologne the other day... I was at work and was pleasantly suprised and reminded of you. Then as I was reading the paper today, your # 76 jumps out at me. I also have heard George Strait on the radio a lot lately. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I am always thinking of you.... I love you and miss you.

xoxoxo

Yvonne

February 2, 2009

Dear Mark,

I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you. I miss you very much.

Love Mom

Anonymous

January 29, 2009

You've been a very busy Guardian Angel Mark. "Someone was watching over me tonight" was voiced several times last night. I am a firm believer that it was you who made sure our family members made it home safely to their loved ones.

Thanks for lookin' out...

Kathy
SHPD

January 25, 2009

Dear Mark,

I miss you and your smirky smile.
Hank Wouters died this past week. I know he suffered a lot especially the last couple of weeks so it is good that he is not suffering any more but I pray for his family that they get around another great hurdle in this life we are given to live.
Hank was so instrumental in MI-COPS. I truly believe he and his family are the ones who kept it going so well for the last ten years. Hank cared and wanted to help everyone who lost a family that died on the job in law enforcement. He reached out to everyone and helped in any way he could. So
when you meet him you have to let him know how much we all appreciated all he did for us as survivors.
On a brighter note, Tom Fetts was promoted to Captain yesterday and Kevin Reese was promoted to Lieutenant. Mark,I forget his last name, was promoted to Sargeant.
Dad and I went to the ceremony. It was really nice. Barnett Jones was there too.
Yvonne fell on the ice and is wearing a sling.That has to be tough trying to take care of Camden because he is a go,go goer. He is all over the place like likety split.
Kyle is doing really well in baseball. He struck 9 players out in three innings, walked two, hit 2 doubles and had 3 RBI's. He is guite the player and getting tall too.
Alexis dance team won first place in Battle Creek at their National Competition for gymnastic/cheer. Dad and I are going with them to Chicago for another competition in February.
Lily is not playing sports right now. I am sure she will be playing soccer in the spring. She is trying to ice skate though. She also has lots of play dates with friends and some of your co-workers kids. She loves to play and color. She knows how to pretend really good. When she spent the night the last time she, Dad and I played hide and seek. I remember playing that with you kids. We had some good hiding places. There are some good ones here too.
That's about it. I love and miss you very much.

Love MOM

Anonymous

January 24, 2009

no we didnt know when
but all good times must come to an end
So I have to let you go my friend
but not forever, I will see you again

We had so much fun
only the good die young
brotherhood, reflection, competition, tippin beers
oh the things I'm gonna miss
never gonna forget ya bro, eclipse of 76

A family man, daddy left a little girl
so quick, so fast, gone from this world
dont need a reminder, but I still like to hear it
a hero NEVER dies, I can still feel your spirit

-Super D

Donald Colpaert

January 23, 2009

You may have passed but will never be forgotten.

May God continue to provide the strength and love for
your family, peers, SHPD, and friends.

Sincerely,

K9 Officer Paul Werth and "Dan"
USCBP Blaine, WA

January 17, 2009

Mark,
Thank you for watching out for Walt last week. After hearing his story and watching the video I truly believe it was a miracle that he wasn't hurt worse and I know you had a hand in that. Thanks! We still think and talk about you often.

Officer
Sterling Hts PD

January 16, 2009

Dear Mark,

I was thinking about you and wanted to let you know that you are always on my mind and in my heart. I love and miss you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

January 11, 2009

Reading through these reflections to you have left me with these thoughts. You are a special man, Yvonne, you are an inspiration, an example of dignity and courage and as for lily, what a cutie pie. May God bless you all

Anonymous

January 5, 2009

Mark,

I have wanted to write on here for so long. My computer at home has a virus, and it's hard to find the time with the two little ones and working full time. I still come to the page every day and read what everyone writes.

Well, I haven't written in so long that it's hard to remember everything that's happened these past few months. Lily is doing well in school. At parent teacher conferences they said she has lots of friends and set a record for learning the most sounds. They said she is headstrong, but very caring. She is really learning alot and can read a little bit now. She is constantly asking me what numbers add up to. She is like you in that way. Curious about those things, and good in math.

I am on the PTA at her school, and organized a Halloween dance. It was alot of work but also lots of fun. Lily was Dorothy and I was Glinda the Good Witch. I even found Camden a little Lion costume. She liked trick or treating, but as always, wanted to pass out candy to the big kids. She was afraid of the houses that were decorated spooky. She wouldn't even go up to them.

She still has nightmares. She cries in the middle of the night and is almost screaming. I go up to her room and she is awake, but out of it. She listens to me but won't answer my questions. I'll ask if she had a bad dream, but she won't respond. She lays back down and falls asleep with me there. It is heartbreaking. Last night she woke up and I heard her, she was coherent though, and was trying to come downstairs carrying her big blanket. She thought it was her pillow. I let her sleep in the bed with me. I always wonder if it's just typical childhood nightmares, or does it have to do with her knowing what happened to you?

Lily was very excited Christmas morning. She mostly wanted Barbies, webkinz, and dress up clothes. I bought Matt the Wii system, and she loves playing that. She is really good at bowling. She has this crazy throw, but always ends up with a spare or a strike. I couldn't help but to think how much you would like the Wii and get into the competition of it all.

Camden is getting so big. He is walking all over the place. He hits his head on everything. He still only says mama and dada. Not the talker like Lily was and is. He brings me so much joy. It is fun to see the difference between the two of them and to watch them together. Yesterday, Lily had me on the ground tickling me and Camden walks over with the biggest grin. He starts patting me while she's tickling me. They are already double teaming!

Lily is so loving and funny. She always tells me that I'm the best mommy ever and the prettiest. Then she proceeds to call me a dork! My fault for teaching her that word! She called Matt a dork the other day. He said, "Oh yeah, nice shirt." She looks down at it, smiles, and says "Thanks!" She doesn't understand sarcasm yet! I wish I could remember all of the funny things she says. She is very quick witted, like you. I should keep a journal. She cracks me up!

I think of you each and every day. Some days are easier than others. But not a day passes without loving thoughts of you. The holidays were tough, but eased by the excitement of the kids. It's always times when I get a moment to myself that are hardest. I think of the past and the memories I have, I think of what happened and the hard times, and I think of the future which is so different from what I had once known. I almost feel as if I have lived two lives in one lifetime. It's a crazy feeling.

I still feel like I get little signs. I had a bag on my desk at work that sings Happy Birthday. You have to push the button on the top of it. I was talking about you and your friends and the bag went off on its own. Maybe you or Mike were just letting me know you heard me.

I wish I could write more, but it's time to go pick up the kids. Just because I don't write on here as often doesn't mean that I don't talk about you, think about you, or feel the same. You are always in my heart. I thank God every day for letting me have you for even a short time. You blessed my life in so many ways. I miss you and I love you.

xoxoxoxo

Yvonne

January 5, 2009

Mark,
Isn't it funny how things remind you of someone or something? I guess I never realized how often I think of you or Lily or Yvonne. I do miss you and don't understand how people in this world can be so cruel to each other.

I know you watch over us and keep us safe.

Thank you.

Anonymous

January 3, 2009

Happy New Year Mark!

SHPD

Anonymous

January 1, 2009

Mark,

Happy New Year. We will be thinking of you at midnight.

Anonymous

December 31, 2008

Dear Mark,
Happy New Year. I love you and still miss you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

December 31, 2008

**Never Forgotten**

Happy New Year

Officer
Bay City PD Michigan

December 31, 2008

Dear Mark,
I am in a little better frame of mind today so will tell you how beautiful Lily looked yesterday in her Christmas dress. She had a lot of fun playing with Alexis. They made a book for the winner of the Sequence Game we were playing. I got Lily a camera for Christmas. One that has the memory card and she can see the picture as she is taking it. She went around like she was a photographer taking pictures all afternoon. I don't know how many of them will be worth printing because she was moving a lot as she took the picture but it will be fun to see them. She is really growing up and quite nicely at that. Camden is walking and is all over the place. He locked himself in the bathroom and started crying. Michelle rescued him. I cooked a turkey with all the trimmings. Everyone stuffed themselves and then we played Sequence. Kyle is good at everything. He has three baseball games on Sunday in Grand Blanc. If they go to the championship it will be more than that. He is a great pitcher and fielder.
He has games this spring and summer all over, New York, Orlando, Cincinnatti.
Alexis has gymnastic/cheer competition in Battle Creek in two weeks and then in Chicago in February. She has another one at Cobo and had in in Frankenmuth. The came second and Frankenmuth and won at Cobo. Her team is really good. Alexis is on the top fot the pyramid. She is so steady.
Dad is doing good. He loves retirement and helps me a lot around the house.
I do miss you terribly and love you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

December 26, 2008

Its strange to me how small this world really is, and how people come into your life at certain times for certain reasons. I ran into a woman on Christmas Eve who made it a point to talk to me about you. Our first meeting was a couple of years ago, or so I thought...She reminded me that we met at the police station just after you died. She was there to pickup a list of upcoming fundraisers and to offer her help. I hope it brings comfort to your family that you thought of so often by those that knew and loved you, and by those that never even met you.

Kathy

SHPD

December 26, 2008

Dear Mark,

It's Christmas once again and we still miss you so much, we always will. We keep you so close in our hearts that you are never far from our thoughts.

I was listening to a song today that brings me right back to those horrible days and months after you were taken from us. The song is on one of Lily's lullaby CD's. I was rocking her in the same chair that you did, when the song "Angels Watching Over Me" played. I couldn't help but cry after hearing it for the first time, feeling how unfair it was that you were no longer here with her. It still makes me cry every time I hear it, as I always think of you, Lily's special angel that watches over her. You will always be a special angel to all of us.

God Bless You Mark. We Love You.

Diane
Mother-in-law

December 25, 2008

Dear Mark,

It Christmas Day and it hurts so bad that you are not here. Merry Christmas and I love you so much.

Love Mom

Anonymous

December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas in Heaven my friend!

Anonymous

December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas from Platoon D 2008...We will never forget

146
HAPD

December 23, 2008

Dear Mark,

Dad and I heard the doorbell last night and a girl around 25 was at the door. She told me her name and said she lived around the block and was wondering what the 76 that is lit up in blue lights on our window signified. She said she has seen it around this time of year for the last few years and just had to know what it meant. I told her about you and she was so surprised and sympathetic about the whole thing. We put the sign up as a reminder of you and what you stood for. The blue lights around the front and side windows are for project blue-light which honors all fallen officers.People don't realize what being a police officer means. The job is taken for granted. Unfortunately, we know what it means and will forever honor all officers everywhere.
We love and miss you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

December 21, 2008

Hi Mark,

I just wanted to say hello and tell you I miss and love you.

Love Mom

Anonymous

December 9, 2008