Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

hey mel,
just sitting here thinking of you trace adkins song for 9-11 is on and i cant help but thinking about the day i came home and talked to you about lanie wasnt quit 13 months old but i new in my heart i had to go that day we lost a lot of brothers and sisters in blue and i new i could not sit at home and do nothing, you told me you expected nothing less of me but than to want to go eventhough we were not exzactly getting along you gave me all the support you could i finaly think i relize what you ment that day and i know in my heart if you could have you would have went with us. i remember the hole time i was at ground zero i was thinking of lanie and you and when we got back i was not the same and for that i am sorry i tryed to do a good thing the other day and ended up screwing a very difficult situation in the first place lanie and aunt renee are shopping my god what i want to say is i love you and am very empty right now with out you i miss being able to give you a hug or to tell you what bust i had today or just talking to you in person i miss you comming home at 3 am and waking up to see how your night was i am still waking up at 3 sometimes waiting for you to come through the door but you dont the trial is comming up tuesday i dont think im ready for it but i will be there no matter what, i have to go for now

love you and miss you very much
rob

robert thornton

June 3, 2005

hey mel,
just a few minutes before i have to go just wanted yo say hi and read the new ones left april i do remember you. lanie grandma and i are going to dinner tonight with dence at the chinese place hope i dont cry. lanie wants a tree house, i guess ill make her a play house i dont want her in trees yet she feel the other day and skined her knees she cryed for you and then asked why she couldnt have her mommy back i had to sit with her for almost an hour while she cryed. she is letting more emotions out now and her counsler said she is going to try to get her to open up somemore. but it has to be at her pace. she has been playing doctor then she will stop and get sad thet she cant help her anymore than she did.

love you miss you
rob

Robert Thornton

June 1, 2005

Melissa,
It has been several days since I heard your story and it is still on my mind. Maybe it is the holiday or maybe it is the memory of a man happily displaying a picture of his family only to years later be moved to tears because of one senseless act that took it away, or maybe it is because two children had something tooken from them before they ever had a chance to know what it was. What ever the reason your story has touched my heart. I never meet you and am sorry that I never will.

April

May 31, 2005

Happy memorial day Melissa

May 30, 2005

mommy,
i love you i miss you very very much

love you
lanie
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxooxxooxooxoxxooxoxoxxoxoxoxooxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxx

elaine foster-thornton

May 29, 2005

Mommy,
i love you i miss you very much.
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mel , i know you understaand what she is trying to tell you she wanted to do it on her own.

LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU
ELAINE FOSTER-THORNTON

Elaine Foster-Thornton

May 28, 2005

Mel,
Its 706 am and I just got home from the DUI check point that the Franklin County Sheriffs Office did there were a total of 7 agencies there and every one of them were great. Lanie went with me for the press conference you would have been so proud of her she was so good. They had a total of almost 2000 cars pass through and out of that 200 were diverted and they got 6 DUI's and a lot of other tickets for various reasons. I actually did an interview with the news. and the only this I really wanted to express to them was I did not care if we only got one dui that off the street that night it was worth it because it may have saved a family from the grief and sorrow of losing a loved one. I was a little upset because your department would not let any officers attend but I will leave it at that. All in all it went really well I was very happy with the way it went one of the officers almost got hit trying to stop a suspected dui she stopped about 2 inches from his. of course she refused the test we all guessed she would have blown over a .200 Mel I know you were very private with our lives and I know you really would not have wanted all of this but as a Reynoldsburg officer told me you are now his inspiration on every dui stop he does. That made me start thinking, there is no way I can give up being a police officer not only do I think you would not want me to do it but as you well know its in the blood. After you were killed I was scared what i would do to the first dui i got and i thought tonight i would do the same thing i would do any other time because if i didn’t you would not be very happy with me. And that would make me just as bad as them. when i razed my right hand and took that oath as you know i took it to heart and have tried to keep it like it should be what im trying to say is i gave myself 6 months to get myself together as of June 4th that 6 months is up i don’t know how im going to tell Lanie but i am going to try an admin job for a while but i need to get back on the horse or i will never forgive my self if it don’t work then we both will know i tried and i will move on. I have a very good person who i think will help me S-14 c has offered his support and told me he would be there every step of the way if i need him and i just might but i have to do it in closing for today i just want to tell you I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU IN EVERY WAY AND I DO LOVE YOU VERY MUCH.

robert thornton

May 28, 2005

I am writting this in hopes that Robert will see it. I am not to sure if you remeber me but you use to come into a certain Shell station that I worked at when you were in training to become a police officer. You use to show me pictures of your little girl. Anyways, I caught you on the news and just wanted to tell you how deeply sorry I am for your loss and for your daughter's loss as well. I truly know how you feel. I don't want to sound discouraging but I know that you are probably searching for a way to make things right for your daughter and I know that it never will be. All you can do is to help her understand that some people you are only meant to have for only just a little while and it is the love that you have with that person that counts, not the time.
God Bless!

April

May 28, 2005

I remember the evening of december 4, 2004 when i answered the phone and heard the words "MELISSA IS GONE" she was hit head on by a drunk driver, my heart sank and I didn't know what to say or do. those words gave chills all over my body and I remembered when my mother passed on. I had this frighting scared hatered look on my face , i handed Rob the phone and ran looking for Elaine, when i found her I held her close and tried to keep from hearing what was going on. all I could think is that Laney is going to have a hard life a head of her. I understand what she is going through, because my mother died when I was 6 years old. i felt alone and scared, but i atleast know that elaine has Family to be by her side. we all miss you more and more each day, but we all know you are in our hearts, we love you and not a day goes by we don't think of the good times we shared together. God bless you. You will always be REMEMBERED!

Dawn Murphy

May 27, 2005

Hi Melissa,just got back from ohio.I`m so proud to be your aunt.The Memorial Service was so beautiful.I stayed at Tom`s and got to play with Owen.He is so sweet and so fun .He had me color and do puzzles.We blew bubbles too.It sure made my day.I didnt see Lainie.I want to send Lainie a Barbie Doll-it is one of Tina`s that she collected. I love you,miss you. love aunt norma

May 22, 2005

morning,
i cant talk long lanies up waiting for me, as i am syre you allready know an officer was struck in kiled in DC while we were there my heart goes out to his family if it wasnt for those officers who help during police week it would be madness. i went to HQ a littel bit ago and saw your pitucer on the wall the officers who let me in left me for a littel bit and well you know the rest. i am sorry i was unable to go on friday but there was things going on and it will be taken CARE of very soon. i wil not let you down.

i love you and miss you
rob

rob thornton

May 22, 2005

hey just want to say hi kinda having a bad day. just got done adding some more pitcurs to the slide show i think it is up to 70 plus now. i realy wish you were here right now so i could just give you a big hug. i think me and lanie are going to take some time by ourselfs and you know what i mean. it has been realy hard bot having you here you were my rock and i am still half lost with out you i know wish we would have taken denices advice that day in the court house elevator when we both got mad at here for what she said but its to late now and i realy wanted to do it and by the look you gave me and what you said i know you wanted to do it too but neither one of us would admitt it. i just realy miss you so before i say something stupid im going to go.

love you and miss you
rob

rob thornton

May 20, 2005

Melissa
I was also in DC honoring Brandy Winfield. You and I never met, but I feel like we did. The last week showed me how much of a family we are no matter where we call home. You have a beautiful daughter and truly amazing friends. Lisa Marie stood tall and did you proud.
Words cannot express...

Brian Lovell
Marion County Ohio Sheriff's Office

May 20, 2005

Hi Melissa,Happy Birthday.I said a prayer at your grave yesterday. Your mom left flowers for you,and one is for Tina.They havent got Tina`s and Jay`s head stone on yet.Yours is really nice.I still cant believe we lost the 3 of you in dec.I`m going to Ohio this week with your mom&dad.Im trying to help them all i can and they are helping uncle Larry and i.I love you and miss you so much. love aunt norm

May 18, 2005

melissa: i am writing you for the first time because i have not found the words i wanted to say before today. for the last few months i have kept myself busy preparing for DC and keeping close contact with all your family members. i have been lucky and blessed to have spent a good deal of time with Lanie. i absolutely adore her and look forward to watching her grow up to be just like you. the DC memorial went as well as could be expected. i had a job to do and prayed that i would honor you as much as you deserve to be honored. i do apologize for all the attention you received as i am sure you would have rather had some quiet memorial and be done with it. i love you so much and miss you terribly. i felt your presence at the wall and had difficulty leaving. i wished you happy birthday by placing a pink rose in the river for you. i watched it float in the water for what seemed like hours. you will live forever in our hearts. thank you for being in our lives and showing us how loving and giving people can be. peace love happiness.....rest easy sister....we will carry on for you.

lisa marie
cpd

May 18, 2005

Melissa, sorry I am late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY

T31
Columbus Ohio Police

May 18, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER IN BLUE.

PO STAN SPEAKS
COLUMBUS POLICE DEPT

May 17, 2005

MOMMY,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY
I MISS YOU I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I HAD CAKE FOR YOU TODAY I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOO

LANIE

ELAINE FOSTER-THORNTON

May 17, 2005

mel,
you should have turned 36 today, instead just five short months ago you were tragically taken from us. I left you your roses from me and lanie as i allways do, this year you got yellow and white from lanie and red from me you would be proud of me these were very good ones we got back from DCabout 10 pm last night the memorials were wonderfull lanie was so good you would have been very proud of here. lanie got a bobbies helment she is so proud of it.
love you and miss you yaya
rob



HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

robert thornton

May 17, 2005

Happy Birthday Melissa!

May 17, 2005

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELISSA. What a weekend in DC, your memorial poster looked great and made us all cry of course. We really miss you and seeing all the articles again was so sad...Thanks for watching over us and keeping us safe.

PO Heidi A Dripps
Columbus Police

May 17, 2005

I never got the chance to tell Melissa This but she was really a great person.. I miss Officer Foster....

May 16, 2005

we are getting ready to go to DC. me and lanie went shoping yesterday, IT WAS SO CUTE SHE HAD EVERYONE OF THE SALES GIRLS HELPING HER PLUS THREE CUSTOMERS. she got a new dress and every time she would try one on she would come out and modle it for us then go back in the dressing room and yell i need anotherone. it reminded me of the movie pretty women they did what ever she wanted. she also got her ears checked they are fine and she got three new pairs of earrings. well i going to go for now got to finish well i have to help everyone else finish me and lanie are ready first for a change.
love you and miss you
rob and elaine foster-thornton

robert thornton

May 11, 2005

Melissa, This is your baby sister I wanted to write to say that we all miss you lots and Love you lots.. I am Holding up ok except when I read the reflections then I cry... Just got done talking to mom had to wish her a Happy Mothers day... Happy Mothers day to you... I Talk to the Kids often they are getting big... They miss you lots and love you very much.. I know This may not not make since butI just had to write to let you know that I miss you lots... I am going to end this now I really don't know what else to write. Just wanted to say That I (We) miss you and Love you lots... You will always hold a special place in our hearts. Love your Baby sister Julie

Julie Fenner
Melissa's Baby Sister

May 8, 2005

Happy Mothers Day Melissa

May 8, 2005