Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Daddy,

Your birthday is coming up and it is getting harder everyday without you here on earth.  It is getting late and I just wanted to say "I LOVE YOU!"  And maybe, someday we will be able to forgive each other.  So you will be able to rest in peace.  And we will never forget you!!:):):):):):)

LOVE,

Crystal(18) & Dakota(1)

September 5,2000

Crystal Bryant

Although I am only 16 years old, I am commited to joining Strathclyde Police force here in Scotland, Great Britain. Reading about all the officers who have been killed in the line of duty this year has really made me think about my career choice. In Great Britain, our officers are unarmed and I often think about them and how I would cope in any armed situation. The reason I write this to you is that you were killed on my 16th Birthday, however, I hope that someday I will follow in you corageous footsteps of law enforcement and make this world a better place for all.

Robert Jennings

AMES, I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I WISH THINGS COULD BE DIFFERENT BUT EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN GONE. I HOPE YOU WILL WATCH OVER EVERYONE AND LEAD US IN THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO BE IN FOR A BETTER LIFE AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN FORGIVE AND FORGET. I KNOW THAT YOU CAN NOT BE WITH US ON EARTH BUT YOU ARE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE NOW. I AT LEAST WISH THAT THINGS WERE THE SAME AS THEY 4 MONTHS AGO.I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

P.S. PLEASE LET DAKOTA KNOW SOMEHOW, THAT I LOVE HIM AND MISS HIM.

LOVE ALWAYS AND FOREVER,

LISA WALTERS

Daddy,

Dakota and I love you and miss you very much.  We think about you everyday and night.  And I always tell him about you being a HERO.  You are our guardian angel.

LOVE,

Crystal & Dakota

6-22-2000

Crystal Bryant

Off. Bryant,

Thanks for all you did to make this world a better place to live. God bless your family and we all will continue to pray for them. Please continue to look down on all of us officers and keep us safe. You truly are a hero.

Off. Justin Lindsay
Cairo Police Dept

daddy,

I miss you very much and i wish you was still here so you could watch me go through my senior year of high school.  Friday night football games are not going to be the same without you cheering me on for me to cheer the football team on.But, I know you will be wathching down over me and keeping me safe.You are my gaurdian angel.

love,

crystal bryant

Crystal Bryant

Daddy,

We miss you very much.  Dakota is looking more and more like you everyday.  We all miss you and wish you was still here.  I made cheerleading again and I know you will be watching from up above evry Friday night.  And, guess what I am finally a senior.  Mama loves you and you will always be in heart.  Dakota and I love you and sing songs to you and about you all the time.  I just got back from North Carolina.  I went to Charlotte with Crystal for a week, the pool just was not the same without you their.  Things have changed and they will never be the same since you are not here.  Always remember you will always be the BEST MAN in MY LIFE.

LOVE,

Crystal

P.S. Dakota is starting to walk.

June 9,2000

With love fom Mama, Dakota, Bradley, and Crystal.

Crystal

James, It has almost been four months since you have left us. We really miss having you in our lives. Hardly nothing has been the same without you here. The only thing we can think about is all of our memorable times (Daytona).We love you and miss you very much.

Love Always,

Lisa Walters and Todd Brewer

James, I miss you so much. I miss having to go take care of your buisness, like paying bills and going to the bank for you. I also miss having someone to eat dinner with every friday. I could go on and on, but there are so many memories left behind and thats the only thing that keeps me going beside your family because they are my family too. You know that I am there for them and I always will be.

Love Always,

Lisa Walters (Babygirl)

Lisa Walters

daddy i love you.

your son.(dakota)5month    

Dakota

Dear James,

Well I never thought this could happen to someone I knew and worked with. I think about the times we worked all the long nights and would talk about all kinds of things. It always seemed that you knew the answer to any problem I had. I think about all the good times we had, or not so good. Like the time we had the block thrown in our windshield. Now that was a time to remember. We spent so much time going to court after that. I never got to tell you thanks for telling Jimmy about the wrecked car that way I could go home with out facing him. I know that things will never be the same no matter how much time goes by. I found this the other day and it made me think of you. Is daddy coming home soon? asks a precious little face. It’s past when he should be here. Is he working on a case? Your dad’s not coming home son, He’s working late tonight. He’s a policeman up in heaven, making sure we’re all right. But mommy, why’d he leave us? I miss him when he’s gone. I know you miss him darling, but now we must be strong. who’s gonna teach me baseball, and help me fly my kite? And help me with my homework, and buy my first bike? Your daddy loved you darling , and he didn’t want to leave. But a bad man took, your daddy, and left us all to grieve. Be proud of who your daddy was, and how he earned his pay. Because it’s people like your daddy that keeps us safe each day. Mommy, when I get bigger, and if it’s ok with you, I’m gonna be like daddy, and be a policeman too. James I miss you very much each day but I know one day we will meet again.

Your friend

The little policeman

OFFICER BRAD WOOTEN
HAZLEHURST POLICE DEPT.

I just want to give my regards to Officer Bryant's family and friends. This is very sad. I can't stress enough how angered I am about this incident and incidents like this. It is very hard to express how I feel for his family. This Hero worked for them and the public. Again, I do not know this Hero, but I know him as a Brother of Mine. God Bless his Wife and Children. Let it be known that James was and always will be Hero. Officer Bryant, May You rest in Peace and Know that your Family is Ours and we will Keep them Safe. Very Sincerely, Gary Wolter, IMPK9 Association.

Dir. Gary Wolter
International MP K-9 Association

Ofc Bryant---- I know that you did your best out there and for that I will forever consider you a hero. Thank You.

Anonymous

Daddy,

It is weird not having you around.  I try to say in the back of my head you are off on a big case.  School is going to start in about 3 weeks.  I have cheeleading camp in tomorrow.  Dakota is learning to say some new words.  His favorite word is daddy.  He seen a couple officer tonight and called them daddy.  The GSP was their the night i lost the # 1 man in my life.  We miss you very much and things are very hard for daddy's little girl and his big little man.

Love,

crystal & dakota

7-18-2000

P.S. You will NEVER be forgotten, your name will always live as a "HERO!"

crystal bryant

My fiance, Dennis McElderry, was the first law enforcement casualty of 2003. He died the same day you did, only three years later. It saddens me to know that Dennis was not the first to die in the line of duty, nor will he and James be the be the last to die this way.

Having gone through the pain of losing Dennis I can truly understand and feel the pain that Officer Bryant's family, friends, and co-workers must be feeling. My heart goes out to you all. Just know that my thoughts are with you.

Please accept my condolences on behalf of the McElderry family and remember that James is part of huge law enforcement family. From reading the many reflections posted here, I am certain James was well respected and well loved. Thank you for a job well done and for helping to make this world a safer place for us all. Please take care of my fiance Dennis.

Peace, Love, Luck, and Happiness!

Jocelyne Brar (Drakesville, IA)
Fiancee of Deputy Dennis McElderry - EOW (01/03/03)

James,
I just wanted to let you know that I still think about you everyday. I really miss you and your family. I finally got into law enforcement after three years of trying. I really enjoy the work. I just hope I will be as good as an officer as you were and be as brave and courageous as you were. I havent seen your new grandson (Ashton) yet but I am going to go see him soon. I did talk to Crystal before she had him and she was doing good. Always remember I miss you and love you.


Crystal, I hope everything is going great in your life as well. I miss you and the rest of the family. I hope to see you soon. Take care of those precious babys and I'll see you soon. Love always.

Officer Lisa Walters
Wheeler County Sheriff's Department

Daddy,

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of you. So much has changed since you left our lives three years ago. I got married Nov.16,2002. Alex will be two on Aug.22,2003. And your grandson was born on Jan. 15,2003, his name is Ashton Bryant summerlin. I will always tell DAkota, Alex, and Ash what a terrific person you was. You will always be a hero in our eyes. We all love you very much.

Crystal Bryant Summerlin

I come here everyday praying that there is no new name on this list. Some days the good guys win, some days we don't. In the long run I know we always win, it's just that we take casualties in this war we wage against evil.

Today, January 16, 2003 I just came to this wonderful site, and unfortunately noticed that another name had been added since yesterday. My prayers go out to that officer and family, but I noticed this officer's notice at the top of the page so I read it as I always do.

As I read the personal letters to this man from his loving family, the tears started rolling down my face. Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for a friend.

This man obviously was very loved, and in turn loved his family very much. He's not a hero for how he died, he's a hero for how he lived !!!!

We'll take the watch from here, save us a spot up there please.

A brother.

Disabled Peace Officer

OFFICER BRYANT,
YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL AND DEDICATED FATHER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. TO SEE HOW YOUR CHILDREN AND WIFE STAY IN TOUCH AFTER THE LONG PERIOD OF TIME IS AMAZING. I KNOW THAT YOU MUST HAVE BEEN GREAT. CRYSTAL, DON'T EVER STOP WRITING YOUR FATHER, AND HELP SHOW THAT GRANDCHILD THE LOVE YOUR FATHER WOULD HAVE. MRS BRYANT, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY PRAYERS.

"THE KID" DISPATCHER TEXAS

Anonymous

James, I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you on your birthday, today (Sept.17). I also think of you everyday that goes by. I will always remember you and the memories we all shared. I even talk about crazy things we have all done, to your brothers in blue. I love you and miss you and I pray for your family everyday too.

Love always,
Lisa Walters

Sorry to hear about your father. You're right he is and will always be a hero. Dont stop writing to him,always keep him close.

SR CPL T. Raley
Dallas Police Dept.,Tx

James, I still think about you everyday. I have talked to Crystal and Dakota and we talked about you just the other day. I am really glad that we can talk again and I hope one day soon we can all become the close knit family we use to be. You have a very beautiful son and grand-daughter. Dakota looks just like you. I hope to talk to Kathy again soon. I love you and think of you all the time.

Lisa Walters

daddy, i just wanted to write and let you know Dakota, Alexandria, me, and the rest of the family loves you and misses you everyday. There is not a day that goes by that I don't thinkof you. We love and miss you very much.


crystal bryant

Anonymous

To who wrote this letter on August 8,2001. This letter has really touched me in a special place. I really do appreciate your thoughts. By the way I had a little girl on August 22,2001. She has been the best thing that has happened to me since my father was taken from me. I named her Alexandria Elizabeth Summerlin. I just wanted to thank you for your letter, it helps out to know that people still remember my father.

Crystal Bryant

To the family of James Bryant (especially Crystal & Dakota),

The first time I read about your father it really tore me apart. I couldn't stop crying, though I never even knew your family personally. Just the fact that you continued to keep in touch with your father a year after his death, touches me deeply. He must have been a terrific man and to be killed by such a violent act is pointless.

I continue to check back periodically to see if there are any updated reflections. I am wondering if Crystal had her baby. I keep putting myself in her shoes, "what if this happened to my daddy? What if my father had to miss all the important events in my life including walking me down the aisle to welcoming my newborn child into the world?" Things only a daddy's little girl could understand the importance of and to be taken away in an instance.

And Dakotah, never even getting to know his father. Learning a little about James' family from there reflections, I'm sure he will learn all about him.

I just wanted to leave a reflection to Crystal and Dakotah, hang in there, you two are truly precious children, who loved their dad. I wish you never had to go through that. I feel lucky to have read your story, it has shown me how precious time is and how quickly everything you hold dear can be taken away, and to cherish every moment you have with your family, because you never know when it will be your last.

Mr. Bryant,
You were a lucky man to have a family that loved you so much. Watch over them from heaven, they miss you!

8-08-01

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