Doug Barney Funeral

It was a normal Sunday morning, quite house, church music playing .... for some reason, I got on FaceBook (I don't normally look at FB, my account has been deactivated), but I have my business one and I am on a UPD wives page.  I look and there is a post, "2 UPD officers have been shot, one not looking good".  I run to Jake and read it to him, we pull up KSL and not much is there.  I continue to check.  Not getting much info, I can tell Jake is a bit bothered, he knows a lot of UPD guys ... who is it, are they going to be okay, is the family okay, do they know.  An hour passes and one of Jakes buddies calls him, he tells us that it is Officer Barney, Jake has never met him, and that he isn't going to make it.  I lost it.

The life of a Police Wife.  Each and every day you send your husband out into a world that hates cops.  A world full of people that have zero respect for law enforcement.  A world that only hears the negative about cops from the media, never hears the good.  You pray your husband will be okay, and deep inside you know nothing will ever happen to him, that is what you pray.  Who is this "cop".  My Jake, he is a Dad, a husband, a son, a brother.  He is full of life, he is full of amazing qualities.  He is kind, giving, funny, athletic, generous, a good friend, a good example, a priesthood holder.  He would do anything for anyone, even people he has never met.  Can I tell you the number of times we have stopped to help someone because Jake notices they need help and he NEVER hesitates.  A 10 min outing turns into 2 hours because we are helping someone.  ALL THE TIME.  Can I tell you how many people he has influenced? Countless.  How many people he has lifted up in their darkest hour .. A TON.  How many tragedies he has seen, how many deaths he has seen, how many lives he has saved.  Most police are like Jake, good guys that want to help.

Why did Jake become a cop, because he wanted to help other people.  Thats it, the entire reason.

I cried so much that Sunday, that poor family.  Their Dad went to work, it should have been a normal day, but he lost his life, protecting all of us.  I honestly don't know how you deal with that.

I knew I needed to help in some way, I needed to go to the funeral as well. Jake is on light duty from a shoulder surgery so I didn't think any of this was going to happen.  Thankfully Jake's chief felt it was important and he allowed Jake to dress in Uniform and drive his Police truck.

The night before, Jake and I left church early and went to Holliday and tied blue ribbons all over the city.  It was pretty emotional for me.  knowing that this could be Jake, he could be taken from me, and how would my life even continue.  A few officers drove by while tying ribbons and they slowed and waved and said thank you.  They were emotional.

The next day we drove to the Maverik Center for the funeral.  As we pulled in there were flags everywhere, and Police Officers everywhere.  As we were walking up the family pulled in, leaded by the motor officers.  We all stopped and allowed them to exit their cars and enter the building.  We all stood silent with our hands on our hearts, it was so touching and so reverent, and to see all these Officers in uniform so solemn, so united.

We entered the stadium, and we were on the ground with all of the family and UPD officers.  The unified feeling around all theses officers, was too much.  I was a mess the rest of the day.  Everyone hugging, the amount of Officers.  As I looked around it was so very humbling to see the support.  There were Officers from Chicago, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, New York and many other States.  It was so touching.

 During the funeral, listening to the speakers, it was so heartbreaking.  This man reminded me so much of Jake.  Why did such an amazing Man, who had so much to give, have to be taken?  Why do we have to have criminals in this world.

After the funeral all of UPD and family went outside and they form two lines.  The officers are on the inside, they all have their hats and gloves on and they stand at Attention and salute and the bag pipes play and the casket is carried out.  This was such a tender moment.  The son was behind the casket, and he was leaning over the casket hugging it as they walked down the path.  It was dead silent other then the bagpipes.  Afterward seeing these brave men wipe tears from their eyes, was so tender.  The reality of their brother in blue being killed and that this could be any of them was real, it was terrible.

 We then go to our cars and wait for the procession to begin.  To see so many cars is amazing.  The procession was 53 miles long.

The parking lot

 As we pulled out this cute family was standing here waving their flags, I began bawling.  They took time from their day to come stand here and show their support, how amazing.

And right after, the flag hanging from the fire truck with the sun shining!

As we jumped on the freeway, all you could see ahead and behind was flashing lights, it was so amazing. 

 The cars still waiting to join the procession

 The first overpass we came to, it was so warm and tender.  How much support, amazing.

 Just before getting to the Holliday exit.  The snow covered mountains, the Fire Fighters saluting, standing so tall, they did this for 1 1/2 hours.  AMAZING.

 We then got off in Holiday, and let me tell you, the support was so amazing, I have never felt like there were so many people that supported my husband, it was so overwhelming. People had their hands on their hearts, they were saying thank you, blowing kisses, waving and crying.  I was a mess.

 As we passed an elementary school, all of the kids were outside, waving flags and were so happy, it was so precious.

 There were so many flags, and so many blue ribbons.

 TONS of people.

 We then got back onto the freeway, and every single overpass had people at it.  People were stopped along the opposite side of the freeway watching, people had babies out, they were standing outside businesses holding hands to hearts.  Most amazing thing I have ever seen.

 We got off in Orem, and oh my gosh, the amount of support was crazy.  I couldn't stop crying.  I had gained a new faith in our society.  People really do respect our men, they really do have a love and respect.  There is only a very small percentage of people that hate cops, I really needed to see this.