Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Hi Jeff,

Was thinking of you and Mike today, but thats every day. Found you and Mike all over cyberland when I ran your names through a computer search such as on Google or Ask Jeeves. Allot of information comes up reference you both and how you are both heroes. You both will always be heroes in the hearts of your loved ones and the Blue Family. I personally know the devastation this has caused your family as well as mine. None of us are the individuals we once were nor will we ever be the same. We go on each day and take one day at a time, thats all we can do. We also strive to love you both and keep your names alive for as long as we are here on this earth. I know we all ask why or what did we do to deserve all this grief. One day we will have the answer to that question as it will be the first one I ask. You both had so much left to do here and I hate when people say that you had something more important to do somewhere else. Keep looking down on your loved ones Jeff and protect them from harm. Try and ease some of their grief. Say hi to Mike for me and look out for him Sarge.

Bob Gordon, father of fallen officer Michael P. Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04
www.michaelpgordon.com

Bob Gordon

January 19, 2006

Jeff, we think of you all the time. We miss your jokes and laughter, Rest in peace you will always be remembered.Theres not a call that we respond to that your not with us, we fell you watching over, keeping us safe. We love and miss you dearly!

Sgt. Dawn Roberts
Woodfin Police Dept.

January 11, 2006

Dear Hewitt Family,
I just wanted you to know I said a prayer for you today as I wore my "Tarheels COPS" shirt with Jeff's name on the back, along with Daddy's name at the bottom. I hope you all are doing okay. We are doing well. I don't know if you remember, but my husband, Cpl. Jeremy Rowley, was also shot by my Dad's assailant, and he had his 7th surgery yesterday. The High Sheriff came to see him in his hospital room and gave him a new badge- he's been promoted to Sergeant! I'm so proud of him, and thankful for his continued recovery.
Take care and God bless you all!
Lori

Lori Johnson Rowley
Daughter of Fallen Hero, Sgt James Johnson, FCSO, NC, EOW 11/11/04

January 10, 2006

I was a British police officer for 32 years and retired four and a half years ago although now work as a consultant within the police family.

From the date of Jeff's murder I felt compelled to leave a message but did not want to intrude on your grief. However, I visit these 'Reflections' regularly, read the notes and grieve for a man I never knew. Today the urge to leave a message was just too strong to resist so here I am.

I just want you to know that whilst we have never met, and will never meet, my thoughts and prayers have been with all of you since this awful event and will remain with you. The older of our two sons has been a British police officer for twelve years. He is similar age to Jeff and is a also a sergeant so perhaps that is why I feel your pain so much.

David J. Jones
Lancashire Constabulary (retired)

January 10, 2006

Good morning son,
It's new Years day and as usual, I feel you close by my side. Christmas was a time of mixed emotions and blessings for us. We spent the day with mom, dad, Susan, Tammy, 5 babies under the age of two, an assortment of parents, grand parents, etc.(10 in all) Thru it all we honored you. Your picture at the table, a blue candle burning beside it( Susan was in awe of the candle because it kept going off, coming back on only when she moved her hand over it!) She just knew your were up to your old tricks of teasing her!)We later discovered the candle had a sensor that none of us was aware of! The balloons we released in your honor were so beautiful as the breeze caught them and carried them to you. We did messages for each person present, adding ones for the ones at the dept. , everyone in Va. The balloons were dark blue with red and white ribbons and each message was laminated. The tinest (5 weeks old) to the oldest; 86yrs, released their own . There were about thirty released in all. Dad and I went the next morning to the cemetary to visit with you. Finally, our Christmas was complete because we were spending time with you. We returned your deer(made of vines) along with a messages of love from the family.Even tho Christmas has passed and the decorations have been put away for another year, dad and I are keeping a single blue light burning on the front porch.I know when you look down you can see it and feel our love and our pain.
Dad sends his love. He misses you so much. Each and every day he struggles with the pain of you loss. Watch over him honey, be with him and help him as he still grieves for you.
We Love you and miss you with every breath we take.
Love,
Mom and Dad

January 1, 2006

Dear Brother,
Here is another New Year upon us. As I sat here last night, listening to fireworks, watching the ball drop, all I could think about is how I wish I could call you and wish you happy new year. I thought about our last New Year we brought in together. You, Traci and I. I am so thankful for that one, as it can never be repeated. The laughs, the celebration, the importance of sharing the beginning of a brand new year together. For Christmas, Mom and Dad gave me a bear holding a fishing pole and a picture of you. My favorite gift. I keep it in my car, so you can always be with me. I placed it on my dash and turned a corner, the bear appeared to have "jumped" off the dash into the passenger seat, and I could not help but laugh. It's just like you were expressing your opinion about my driving! Just remember I didn't have the opportunity to take the defense driving tactics that you did, but I'm holding my own!ha. I hope you got our balloons we released for you Christmas Day. From the oldest, to the youngest, we let the wind catch them and take them to you with our messages for you. They looked like blue dots in the sky. Tammy had to put Isis to sleep a few days ago and she is having a hard time with having to say good-bye. I told her that you would be taking good care of her and now she would be well. We all miss you and you never leave my thoughts. Always in my heart, I love you brother, Susan

Susan Hewitt
sister

January 1, 2006

Happy New Year Jeff! We love you and miss you.

January 1, 2006

Happy New Year Jeff,

Keep watch over your family this coming new year, also, don't forget the guys still out there on patrol in the County, especially tonight with all the revelers that will be shooting guns up into the air and your guys having to answer those shots fired calls to deal with those nuts. Say hi to Mike for me.

Bob Gordon, father of Michael Gordon EOW: 8/8/04

Bob Gordon

December 31, 2005

MERRY CHRISTMAS JEFF.

LT.CHUCK LONG
BCSD

December 25, 2005

MERRY CHRISTMAS SGT. JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WE ALL ARE THINKING OF YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY DURING THE HOLIDAYS. CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER US AND KEEP US SAFE! MISS YOU

BCSD

December 25, 2005

Jeff,

Merry Christmas Jeff. Please keep watch over your family this day and every day. Also, those still out on patrol.

Bob Gordon, father of Michael P Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04

Bob Gordon

December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas Jeff!
We Love and Miss You!

Your BCSD Family
BUNCOMBE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.

December 23, 2005

Dear Sweet Jeff,
Well, here we are at the celebrating of Christmas, our Lord's birthday, another year without you. And I miss you as much if not more than last year. I'm so thankful, you were part of my family's life. It was such a short time, but you won our hearts the moment we met you. There isn't a day that goes by, that you're not walking through my mind and heart. So many times when I see Tracie wishing to get things done- Pick up Taylor, mow the grass, etc.,-All the things you helped her with, often I see in her eyes, the unspoken words. Jeff, be sure to give Michael Gordon and everyone in my life, that has made that trip on the Ole Ship of Zion and joined you and our Lord, since you had to go to your Heavenly Home, my Love. Always know I Love You, I miss you, but I know we will see each other again soon. To walk together on streets of gold, where we will all be together thoughout eternity. So Merry Christmas sweetie-You are forever in my memories of pure gold.
"You will come to mind when my season shines brightest,
when all the lights are working and the music is playing, and Christmas dinner is filling the house with its delicious sweetness. I will think of you when jokes are being told and when grace is being said, when I'm shopping till I drop, or caroling my way through my memory's holiday songbook. I will have so many happy moments thinking of you, knowing you're in my heart and I'm in yours. And I will be wishing for your happiness, too, knowing that, somehow, we'll always be a part of each other's Christmas."
I Love You Always my dear Son-in-Law,
Carolyn

Carolyn Moore
Mother-in-law

December 23, 2005

Just wanted to say I miss you too pieces!!! Miss you every day.

I LOVE YOU BABY!

Love,
Tracie

See you in a minute 1-4-3

Tracie Hewitt
Jeff's Wife

December 20, 2005

Tracie,
The tree you decorated at the Sheriffs Office is beautiful. I had a meeting there yesterday and as you walk in the building it's impossible to not stop in your tracks to look at that tree. It is amazing. You did a great job. Wishing you and Taylor a very Merry Christmas and a better 2006. Lots of love. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Amanda

BCDF

December 20, 2005

Good morning Jeff. It is Sunday-1600hours a.m.(I did that military time for ya, what do you think?) Beaming with pride I bet!ha. Yeah whatever!ha again! I couldn't sleep. Something woke me. I thought someone was in the room and I felt my quilt pick up and cover me. The room was empty but the feeling was so strong. Thanks for keeping me warm. It is supposed to snow. I want to get excited, as I know it will be beautiful as it falls upon my blue lights outside, but it is difficult to celebrate anything without you. I too, go into a store and see so many things you would love. I think of all your favorite foods I won't be racing you too. I think of past Christmas's and holidays, birthdays and everydays. I think of your room at home and borrowing your sweats. There was the raking of the leaves, a Saturday family affair, and dinner time we always shared with mom and dad. We had such a happy home. I wish for my holiday wish that you were here. I wish for families to have the love our family has shared. The family trips, dinners, and always being cared for by such loving, responsible parents. There is just no end to missing you. I love and honor you now and always. Watch over all of us who love you and those who continue to protect us. Know that always in my thoughts.

Susan Hewitt
Sister

December 18, 2005

Hey Honey!
Well, the holidays are quickly approaching. As usual, I haven't finished my shopping. It breaks my heart to go into a store and see something I wish I could buy for you. The Cabela's Christmas catalog came in the mail. I know you would have had a field day with that. A kid in a candy store! The holiday's will be lonely without you. I know friends and family will be there, but it just won't be the same without you. I'll be coming to the cemetary tomorrow. I have a snowman, a little tree and a wreath to place by your grave. I wish I had a way to rig up some blue lights. I finally put a few lights up at the house. I made a little christmas tree like the one I have in the kitchen. It is decorated in blue lights to honor you and the sacrifice you made. It is also for the other officers who continue to patrol every night. I hope that when they pass by, they will know that they are in our hearts too. Taylor talks about you everyday. He has been going through some difficult times right now. He talks about how much he misses you and wishes he had you here to talk to. He really has turned into a fine young man. It is amazing to see him with a mind of his own. You would be so proud to see how much he protects and takes care of me. He wants to be the man that you were and I don't have a doubt that he will. Jeff, thank you for the morals that you instilled in my son. I am grateful to you for helping me raise him and for the legacy you left behind in him. I know he was not your biological son, but to hear him talk, you would never know that he wasn't. You truly left a lasting impression on all of our lives!

I love you so much!
Tracie

See you in a minute 1-4-3

Tracie Hewitt
Jeff's Wife

December 13, 2005

Dearest son,
Christmas will soon be here and once again our hearts will be breaking because you will not be with us. In each window a blue light is burning and in one window it burns 24/7. A thin blue line of lights span the full length of the front porch, from one end of the house to the other. We placed them in your honor and in honor of all your fallen brothers as well as those here on earth who risk their lives every day to continue your watch. You are honored in so many ways honey. The sheriff's dept. has been wonderful to us. They're there to listen when our days are bad and we know they understand our pain. With hunting season comes the memory of your "bear misadventure," and with each reflection it just gets better. We miss the phone calls after a day of hunting, the stories of the one you "just missed" or the one you just watched as it roamed beneath your tree stand and especially the "big one" you bagged! You gave us wonderful, warm memories that we'll cherish always. The joyful baby boy, the playful toddler (always close behind Susan as she allowed you to tag along even tho she pretended to be annoyed), the teenager that could turn on the charm and warm our hearts with your smile; a smile that could get you out of trouble everytime-well, almost everytime!The young high school footballplayer; the young Marine who served with such pride; the hunter, the fisherman, the Tenn.vol fan, the die hard Jeff Gordon fan, the lover of all outdoors, family and friends, and the compassionate, caring Deputy who served with such pride and honor, ultimately losing your life as you tried to save another. Honey, these are the memories that help us face each and every day. You lived your life to the fullest and this fills us with such pride. Be with us honey as we move thru each day, protect us and know that you are always in our hearts and on our minds. We'll set a place for you Christmas and fill your plate with all your favorite foods!
We love you and miss you always,
Mom and dad
Bill and Pat Hewitt
Travelers Rest, SC.

December 10, 2005

I haven't had much time to write lately since i was injured. I just wanted to say thank you again and i really wish continued strenght to your family and co-workers, i read the reflections and i have never seen such a wonderful group of people. It makes me feel like i have known you for years. Thanks again to all of you for your inspiration to all of us.

Cpl Gary Mintz, Director Traffic Enf.
Henderson County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

December 8, 2005

Jeff,

Thought of you the other day while visiting Mike at the cemetery. It was real quiet, cold crisp morning with some snow on the ground. I was getting ready to leave and a large buck walked out of the tree line near Mike's grave. It was so close I could have hit it with a rock. I've seen deer before in the area but never one with a rack like this one had. I instantly thought of you and what a grin you would have had thinking of such a prize to take home. My Dad was a hunter, something I never got involved in as most of the hunting in our area went by the wayside because of careless hunters who took advantage of farmland that owners let them hunt on and eventually all the hunting was gone in our area. The holidays are upon us again, a very hard time for us all. We tell allot of Mike stories when we get together around the dinner table, some are mysteries I've always wondered about and the truth finally comes out. You take care, we are all thinking of you and your loved ones at this time of the year. You have not been forgotten by us.

Bob Gordon,
father of Michael P. Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04

Bob Gordon

December 6, 2005

JEFF, AS WE ARE ALL DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS YOU ARE STILL SO MUCH A PART OF ALL THAT WE DO. FROM THE BLUE LIGHTS THAT ARE ON SO MANY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES AT THE DEPARTMENT, THE BLUE RIBBONS ON OUR VEHICLES, AND THE BLUE LIGHTS IN SO MANY OF OUR WINDOWS AT HOME. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP WATCH OVER EACH OF US.

BCSD

December 3, 2005

WE ALL STILL LOVE AND MISS YOU JEFF. CONTINUE TO WATCH OVER AND KEEP US SAFE AS WE CARRY ON WITH OUR/YOUR DUTY.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

BCSD

December 2, 2005

I still think of you all the time, Rest in peace my brother.

Sgt. Chad Edwards
Buncombe County Sheriffs Dept.

December 1, 2005

Happy Thanksgiving, Sweetheat!

I was just thinking about your favorite little quote: "Every day is a holiday and every meal is a feast". For you that couldn't be more true. It didn't matter what was for dinner, you really did act like it was a "feast". I will be going to Aunt Pat's for dinner today. It brings tears to my eyes to think that we would normally be headed to Waynesville to see your family. I haven't seen your family in a long time. I know that life goes on and we all have our responsibilities. I just hope they all know how special they are to me and the closeness I feel to you when I am with them or talk to them. I've got to get over to see the babies soon, before you know it they will be able to drive to my house.

I will be going up to the department one day next week to decorate your Christmas tree with blue lights and bows. It seems hard to believe that I am going through my second holiday season without you. I keep wishing I would hear the phone ring and hear you say, "Hey Beautiful, I got a deer". I know how much you loved to hunt and it breaks my heart to know the dreams that you had which didn't have time to be fulfilled.

Taylor has been talking about you a lot. You wont believe what he asked me! He wants to know if he can change his last name to HEWITT. Can you believe that! He loves and misses you so much. He really admires you, Jeff! I'm so glad he has a hero like you to look up to. You were a wonderful "father" to him. When we were in DC, a little girl looked at him and said, "My Daddy died". Taylor looked at her and his eyes filled with tears and he said, "My Dad died too". He wrote an autobiography in school and they had to write a dedication page. He dedicated his paper to you. His teacher commented on what a good job he had done. Yes, he is still doing so well in school. He had two "B's" and the rest "A's" on his report card. Soon he will be writing a paper on his hero and he has already made plans to write about you.

Everything else is going pretty well. Teddy has had me worried lately. He is really starting to go down hill. He sleeps all of the time now. I took him to the vet for his check-up last week. He didn't have anything major going on, just the old age stuff. Baby, I don't know what I am going to do when it is time for him to leave me too. It's gonna crush me! He has been so good and watches out for me and Taylor.

Well, baby! I guess I better go! I miss you so much. The holidays aren't the same without you!

Love you forever,
Tracie

See you in a minute 1-4-3

P.S. Thank you for "BUTTERFLIES"

Tracie Hewitt
Jeff's Wife

November 24, 2005

Good Morning brother. Just wanted to come here this am to talk to you. The holidays are coming. A time for celebration followed by high hopes for a New Year. Time just keeps going but yet stands still. It takes me home growing up with you, carrying you on my hip, laughing at you as you learned new things. I am so fortunate that I had that privilege to be your sister. Such a special child, such an incredible person to us. I talked to Traci the other day, it was cold outside. She said she had been thinking about us and wondered if I was staying warm in your leather jacket she gave me. It wraps me in memories, in love and protects me. I see you in it. Naturally you looked better in it than me! I am so proud to wear it. I went to mamaw & papaws the other day. Wishing we were getting his wood for them again. That was a fun day. He still hasn't burn't it yet. They miss you so much too. I had a dream 3 nights ago. I was driving and someone, an unknown passenger was with me. My Rover just went directly over a cliff, falling upside down. The fall seemed to be an eternity, however I kept thinking we would be fine, our landing would be soft without pain of fear. As so often now my dream was so real. When I wake it takes me a little time to confirm that it was a dream. Anyway, thanks Jeff for being the Love and Pride of our family. Yours til the Butter-flies, Yours til the Ocean-waves and Yours til the Kitchen-sinks. Miss you, susan.

susan hewitt
sister

November 21, 2005