On the morning of July 23rd, 2018, Baltimore County Police Officer/Brothers Before Others Member, Brian Gaddis and his wife, Jennifer, lost both their daughter and their mother-in-law/mother. Five year old Delaney Marie Gaddis and her grandmother, Deborah Ann Limmer, were struck by a drunk driver while they walked on a sidewalk.
While there are no words nor actions that can somehow erase the pain generated by the unimaginable, our instinct as humans is to try. Having just experienced, not only the loss of a coworker but also his cousin Baltimore County Police Officer First Class Amy Sorrells Caprio, Baltimore County Corporal/BBO Member Eric Brennan knew all too well the road that Brian and his family had ahead of them.
Coordinating with his coworkers, the members of the FOP Lodge 4, Michael Burke and the members of BBO and the Gaddis family, Eric, along with Baltimore County Police Officer Denise Yost, organized a private lunch where all of the aforementioned could meet and show support. At this lunch, Brothers Before Others delivered a portrait of Delaney, done by Philadelphia Police Officer/Forensic Sketch Artist/ BBO Partner Jonny Castro.
Also discussed at this gathering was the intention to create a memorial in the memory of both Delaney and Deborah. While the plans were already being formulated, until we had the blessing of Brian and Jen, we were in a holding pattern.
Since that lunch, much has been accomplished. Brian and Jen have chosen the location for the memorial: Springlake Park and Pond in Timonium, MD. This location was chosen based upon, most of all, the special significance that the park held for Brian, Jen, Delaney and Deborah. Eric has been hard at work with Baltimore County officials ensuring that all steps are properly taken to secure the sight and the installation of the memorial. Most importantly, the memorial itself has been designed and ordered. While Brian and Jen have contributed to its’ design, they have not seen the finished product. Having been one of the few that has, I can tell you that it is, quite simply, one of the most breathtaking memorials of its kind that I have ever seen.
In coordination with the FOP and the Police Emerald Society of Baltimore, Brothers Before Others is planning an early spring dedication ceremony, with the exact date yet to be determined.
As has been the case with nearly every project that BBO has undertaken, funding for the memorial and the dedication has come directly from police officers pockets; members of BBO and their partners, the Emerald Society and the FOP. In an effort to assist win offsetting some of the costs, Nine Line Apparel is now taking pre-orders for a limited offer, one of kind, Saint Patrick’s Day shirt, designed in honor of Delaney and Deborah. A portion of each article sold will be donated directly to the project.
https://www.ninelineapparel.com/collections/bbo-st-patricks-day-2019
Please consider supporting this cause through the purchase of a shirt or a donation in the project’s name to BBO, the Emerald Society or FOP Lodge 4. No parent should have to endure what Brian and Jen have endured. While nothing we can do will change what has happened, together we can help Brian and Jen ensure that their daughter and mother are never forgotten. Thank you, and please continue to keep the Gaddis family in your prayers.
