Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest easy, brother. You are not forgotten. Never. May God comfort those you left behind and let everyone know the worl has lost a hero.

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

Hey my brother from another mother!!- I ran your race today and got
3rd in my age group. I have never run so much in my life and I did 4
miles for you and because of you, I have good reason to believe you
kept me going and pushed me along. I was all by myself to and it was a
great time to think. I get to go to Anytown this year and how I wish so
much that you were going to be there. I love you so much and miss you
every day.

5/10/03

Anne your little sis

As I sit here reading all the reflections for Cpl. Cushman I can't help and feel more proud of my occupation. He represents all that we stand for. I just pray that I could touch so many lives as Joseph has. To the family, friends, and co-workers I hope the pain of his loss has lessend. God bless you brother watch over your family and friends as I know you do. We have the watch now.

Deputy J. Chappell
Currituck County Sheriff's Office (NC)

As the coordinator of class 12 I'm not sure who taught who, you guys were truly "better than the average bear". You were the shining star of that class. It was also my pleasure to work with you at the East station, you lived your belief's and it showed.

We planted a tree and dedicated a memorial to you in front of the substation for your memory to live on. In reflection of your work and deeds, I realized they also live on. Keep an eye on us from Heaven.

Gal. 2 -20

Detective T. Mott # 1069
Arlington PD

I am a police explorer in a large town outside of Boston MASS. I am 17 years old and have been an explorer since I was 12 I come to this page all the time to remeber fallen officers. Cause some day I would like to follow in the foot steps of officers like Cpl. Cushman. Althought I never personaly met him I have got a feeling of what a nice and caring officer he was. I hope that one day I will be able to carry one Cpl. Cushman's legacy and continue to fight crime and stand for what is right. He is in a better place now watching over his freinds, family and fellow co-workers. My utmost condolences are with his family, friends and fellow co-workers. I am sorry I did not get to read this memorial before cause it is because of Cpl. Cushman that I am going to become a police officer in the future. I always wanted to be a police officer because i will be a 4th generation cop they say it is in the blood. But more than ever do I want to be a police officer after reading these reflections for Cpl. Cushman. I am sorry for this being so long but I just want to let everyone even though i didnt know this officer he has inspired my life and made me want to work harder for my goal of becoming a police officer.

God Speed Cpl. Cushman

Captain Billy Farwell
Stoughton Police Explorers Unit 57

Joey, You have never been far from my heart. When Melissa and I flew over your ceremony it was only the start of a long journey. I learned from you, say what you mean, do what is right, stand on the line. I am about to be activated for this new war and I have called family and friends and made my peace with them all. I told you once how much I admired your spirit and talent, your quest for new challenges. But I was never able to say, because of you, I now believe in heroes.
Fly Brother!
jess

Sgt. Holland, Jesse E.
4013th Military Police USARG

I miss you everyday....you will not be forgotten. Your memory will be revived in the stories I tell my daughter, you will be the example I use when I talk about character and determination. You will be the benchmark for achievement and involvement in the lives of those around us. When I look back at our younger years, there you'll be, forever young...forever the kind-hearted, squinty-smiling-when you thought something you'd done was really funny, wonderful son of incredible parents that I miss so much. Thank you for sharing and being you.

Chelsea

I've been thinking about Joey more than ever this week with the loss of the Columbia astronauts. I so well remember hearing the song "I'm already there" on the radio during the ride from the church. There's no doubt.

I didn't, and don't, think of Joey as a policeman. I was just another one of his "moms" and my son was another of his brothers. Joey's already there. He's probably showing the 7 astronauts around the place, smile firmly in place, as always, telling them that they, and he, came to this great new place doing what they all loved to do most.

Mom B 2-4-03

Anonymous

Cpl. Cushman

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and safe holidays.

My brother from another mother-
I just wanted to let you know even though you are not here in
person, I wanted to say that I am so blessed to have gotten to have you
in my life and blessed to have your loving spirit with us so often. I love
you so much bro! Merry Christmas!

Anne, your little sis !2/24/02

Sweet Brother Joey- I meant to write you on your
birthday but did not have time. I can't imagine you being almost 30, that is insane!!! I remember 2 years ago when you turned 27 and I came over and gave you that funny picture book thing and we laughed and talked. I love you and think about you every day! The bench that the precinct dedicated to you is beautiful and you truly were and are still a strong man of God, best friend,
honourable man and rising star!You will always be in my heart forever Joey, in my dreams soaring above the sky! I love you so much

Happy Belated Birthday!!!

Anne (your little sis)

Happy Birthday sweet Joey
We love you!

11-4-02

Hey Joey,
It's been a long time...we still go out and we still think about you a lot. You changed our lives more than you will ever know...we love you and you're always in our hearts.

Casey

Joey- I love you so much and miss you like heck. I still can't believe your gone, I was watching mexico videos with MM a few weeks ago, and there you are in them smiling like no other. It makes me miss you so much, more than ever but hey you will never dissapear from my heart, your memory will shine on forever. There will never be another brother like you were to me but I am so blessed to still have two guys who have become so close to me like brothers here for me when I am sad or missing you and I have good reason to believe that you have helped make ,me close to these people. Thank you for everything you did and still are doing everyday in my life, you have changed me. LOVE YOU FOREVER Bro!

Anne (8/26/02)

Joey, I probably leave reflections too close together, but the more I thought about/listened to "The Impossible" by Joe Nichols, I decided it should be posted on here.


My dad chased monsters from the dark
He checked underneath my bed
He could lift me with one arm
Way up over top his head
He could loosen rusty bolts
With a quick turn of his wrench
He pulled splinters from his hand
Never even flinched
And 13 years I knew I'd never seen him cry
But the day that grandpa died
I realized


Unsinkable ships sink
Unbreakable walls break
Sometimes the things you think could never happen
Happen just like that
Unbendable steel bends
If the fury of the wind is unstoppable
I’ve learned to never underestimate the impossible


Then there was my junior year
Billy had a brand new car
It was late
The road was wet
I guess the curve was just to sharp
I walked away without a scratch
They brought helicopter in
Billy couldn’t feel his legs
Said he’d never walk again
But Billy said he would
And his mom and daddy prayed
And the day we graduated
He stood up to say


Unsinkable ships sink
Unbreakable walls break
Sometimes the things you think could never happen
Happen just like that
Unbendable steel bends
If the fury of the wind is unstoppable
I’ve learned to never underestimate the impossible


So don’t tell me that it’s over
Don’t give up on you and me
Cause there no such thing as hopeless
If you believe


Unsinkable ships sink
Unbreakable walls break
Sometimes the things you think could never happen
Happen just like that
Unbendable steel bends
If the fury of the wind is unstoppable
I’ve learned to never underestimate the impossible


The last part of the first verse - "In all my thirteen years I know I'd never seen him cry, but the day that grandpa died, I realized unsinkable ships sink" - holds a special significance for me. You and I had a mutual close friend. I'm not sure it's fair to put his name, but I know you'll be able to figure out who I'm talking about. Anyway, this guy is a rock. Even when his father suddenly died a few years back, he never let me see him cry. Sometimes I would see a hint of tears, but he would get up and walk away. Five or six years ago I remember him telling me when I apologized for something I felt I had hurt him by doing, he said, "You can't hurt my feelings." He keeps his emotions tucked away in a drawer because he cannot stand to feel vulnerable.

When you died, I was thirteen years old, like the song. Now I'm fifteen, and I know a lot more about people's emotions, but at the time, I'd never seen this guy cry. It was midnight on June 11th, and I'd just gotten back from South Padre, and I saw this guy for the first time since I'd returned and found out what had happened. I was absolutely ballistic and hysterical with tears. I didn't even know WHAT I should feel - I literally thought I was going insane. I expected to see this guy being strong, holding up, trying to brush it off. Instead I walked into the room and found him huddled in a chair, his shoulders shaking, bawling like a baby. He looked up at me and his face was streaked with tears. And he said, "I don't know what to do."

Never again since that night has he allowed me to see him "vulnerable." I just wanted you to know, never underestimate the positivity of the power you held over people, or how quickly and deeply people came to love you. Unbreakable walls do break.

Casey

Joey - We just got back from Mexico, and it was the best week of my life to date. I've never been to Mexico without you before, so it was very different from what I remember. We missed you so much. Just now when I was reading Anne's reflection and she referred to the song called "The Impossible," it brought tears to my eyes.
The week was difficult for a few reasons. God presented many challenges but also gave us too many joys to count. I will never forget a single day of that trip. We met on Saturday morning, some friends, some strangers, and left the following Saturday night loving each other and knowing each other inside and out. Your presence there was so blatant, it sometimes made a tear or two run down my face. Altogether though, I've never felt so much joy compacted into such a small allotment of time. One day me and Marie were relaxing in the pool and she told me Diane had given her your application forms and name tag from 2001. Things like that all throughout the week kept you in our hearts.
We made a point to befriend the local kids. On the last day, when we had the dedication ceremonies and a small fiesta, about thirty or forty local kids were present. I had four or five kids that were my favorites, though I loved them all, and it reminded me of you with those four or five kids at the soccer field and everything.
That week changed my life. We will never forget you and we love you always.

Casey

Joey, so much to say......... I missed you so much in Mexico this year. It was yet again another trip without you. I felt weird without you there. you would have smiled and would have felt the greatest joy if you had the experience I did which I am sure you did, because I know you were working side by side with us all- As we
brought out a pinata for the kids, a litlle girl was sitting next to me and seeing that pinata was like seeing the world- the most gorgeous smile came upon her face and she said "mi favorita!!" and gave me a huge hug, it was amazing. It was weird especially no one there in Mexico with a big smile to say "goodnight little sis". A smile that lit up your world. A smile that made you just be the happiest you could be, made you believe in yourself more and made you know someone else believes in you too no matter what mood you were in. Joey- when you saw him you couldnt help but smile. He just had a glow!!

Joey, tonight two songs came on the radio that
reminded me of you and how I felt. One of them was :one more day by diamond rio- It talks about how if I had one wish it would be for one more day with you. But if I had that day with you it would leave me still wishing for one more day with you. And I think that is so true that we
think hey i want just one more day but in actuality we will always want another day/ Everyone had their last day, even if we didnt know it.... I think about Joey a lot on this song because it also makes you think : Live life to
the fullest,cause that is exactly what Joey did, live each day with your family and friends as if its your last day. I remember when we couldnt decide if we wanted to do something Joey would step in and say " how many times do you live? ONCE!"......... The other song was
"the impossible by Joe Nichols, to all of us it was the impossible that our smiling beautiful face Joey wouldn't be the man who lived til he was 100, strong and healthy, it was beyond our belief that something like this could happen to Joey Cushman.

Joey, my brother from another mother, you will never leave my heart, your beauty will always have a amazing glow on my heart. I love you forever!!!! 7/23/02

Anne, your little sis

I just got back from Mexico where this year would have been Joey's fourth year to attend. It is really neat to hear memories and things that remind us of him and his sweet kind personality. Things like going down a dark alley and thinking of the two headed dogs, seeing butterflies, visiting the bench, hearing the man that sang named Joey, thinking of his little sayings, and just singing songs that reminded us of him, like (Good Ridance by Green Day). It is amazing to me that he has been gone for so long but how so many people still remember the tiniest details like something that was said to them by him. Memories was one of the things that kept me going this year during Mexico. This year was hard for me because of other circumstances, but it made me feel better knowing that Joey was helping us build that house for the single mother and her little girl. It was another great experience for me in Mexico.

MM

"It's Your Song"
Garth Brooks

Standing in the spotlight
On such a perfect night
Knowing that your out there listening
I remember one time
When I was so afraid
Didn't think I had the courage
To stand up on this stage
Then you reached into my heart
And you found the melody
And if there ever was somebody
Who made me believe in me
It was you
It was you

It was your song that made me sing
It was your voice that gave me wings
And it was your light that shined
Guiding my heart to find
This place where I belong
It was your song

Every night I pray
Before the music starts to play
That I'll do my best and I won't let you down
And for all the times I've stood here
This feeling feels brand new
And any time I doubt myself I think of you

'Cause It was your song that made me sing
It was your voice that gave me wings
And it was your light that shined
Guiding my heart to find
This place where I belong
It was your song

Dreams can come true
With God's great angels like you

It was your song that made me sing
It was your voice that gave me wings
And it was your light that shined
Guiding my heart to find
This place where I belong
It was your song
It was your song
It's always been your song

It was your song, brother Joey, that has changed me in
so many ways, i know you have always believed in me
and believed I would do my best always, every time
when I think I cant do something I think of you, I miss
you so much, I love you with all my heart!

Anne (your little sis) 6/24/02

As Joey's one year anniversary has past I find myself hoping that each of you just get through another day. But I am assured everytime I turn to his reflections that he will never be forgotten and will be held in your hearts each and every day.

I just got back from Anytown, the camp where Joey
worked at as an advisor. We were there on June
7th-the year anniversary for his death. I was honored to get to spend my week there learning and having fun at the place where he enjoyed to be and held dear to him. I met Joey on the Mexico mission trip. He helped me out in so many ways, but probably didn't even know it. In Mexico, my dad fell off a ferris wheel at a fair that we were at. Joey was the first one to come running to help him. I couldn't see my dad and probably didn't want to. I thought he was dead. He wasn't, but afterwords the caring that he showed for my dad hit me and in my eyes Joey saved my dad's life. Anytown was hard for me, but people at the camp helped me see that Joey was there at the camp and was having fun there along with us. I love you Joey. Thanks for the things you didn't even know that you did.

MM

Joey,

We went to your memorial service at the cemetery today. It was so beautiful. No one had anything but pleasant, uplifting memories of you. Almost all of us lost our composure just remembering what we are missing.
Your relatives named their newborn Joey - that was the first thing to make me cry, when the mother was talking about bittersweet blessings.
Today was like a blast of remembrance as far as how great you were, and it made me miss you horribly...but it also reminded me how many people loved you so much. You were surrounded by so many wonderful people, and you touched so many lives. Everyone standing there is twice as good a person for knowing you. You touched us all.
Rest in peace Joey. Vaya con el dios.

Casey
06-07-2002

Don't cry because it is over.
Smile in knowing it happened,
Because it is better by far
To have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

Anonymous

Anne,

I am so sorry for your pain , I wish everyday that there was something I could do to take your missing Joey and turn it into a happy reunion for the both of you as well as for his family.

I wish I could meet with all of you who loved Joey and somehow make it better. But I know I can not.

I just know that the love you all have for him is returned by him by the thousands. That makes you all so very special.

Imagine if you never had him in your life. But you did and the times you had together were real , don't let anything or anyone take them away from you.

From my heart.

Anonymous

Joey- How much I miss you!!!!! I have been thinking a lot about you recently. I hate every time I am missing you and say to myself, I can just call him up, and it makes me sad because I can't !! My brother from another mother, I never stop thinking about you!!!! You will never
be forgotten. I LOVE YOU beyond words.

Anne, your little sis 5/19/02