Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Just sitting here thinking about you...we always are... regardless, I know this website is more for the survivors then it is for you. I know you already know we all love you and miss you terribly. Just helps to write it down sometimes....

Officer C. McDaniel
HPD

May 28, 2006

Your family has been so busy. You have been honored and remembered again and again. I don't know if your parents and brother can take much more. I hope they can have a break and try to start to heel. They take time to be kind to everyone. They are so polite to talk to people when it's easy to see they are having a hard time just breathing. They are wonderful people!!! They are so thoughtful to everyones feelings. Please keep praying for them. They keep being kind to people who don't deserve their kindness. I hope they don't keep giving until they have nothing left to give. David is so strong. He never lets your parents see him cry. He always takes care of their every need. I don't know how he and Tracey keep going. They have so much stress on them. They need prayers as much as your mom and dad. You are so missed. Your family needs you to comfort them. Please know we are praying for them. We are praying for you and know you are looking down on all us. Please help us, help your family.

Another Friend in Fayetteville

May 25, 2006

I just heard a song and it broke my heart. It was Kenny Chesney singing Who You'd Be Today. I could just hear your dad singing it. I pray for your parents every day. I hope God can find a way to give them some peace. Each day is a struggle for them. No one can know the pain they are in. Watch over them and know how much they love you!!

May 23, 2006

Daniel,

My CHP buddies and I were hanging out in the Dubliner in Washington D.C. and ran into your fellow officers. We met your wife D, the Chief, "Powder", Dewayne, some New York City dude that has transplanted himself to Alabama, and some of your other fine friends. I have a great picture of badge #412.

We were there to honor our buddy, Andy Stevens, who lost his life in similar fashion. I think that made us even closer to your friends. We ended up buying each other drinks and toasting you and Andy.

I will make it to Alabama some day, and I will toast to you and Andy with your buddies.

Dana

Sgt. D. Sampson
California Highway Patrol

May 18, 2006

Visited your grave site recently. The memorials from all the guys are beautiful. It makes me very sad that there is still no head stone. I hope there will be one in place soon so that everyone will know what great man was laid to rest there. It is all so sad and hard to think about even now.
Your parents and David and his family will always be in my prayers. They miss you terribly!!
Rest in peace, Daniel!!

HPD

May 18, 2006

With honor and respect we heard your name read in Washington.

Linda Rittenhouse, Matt's Mom
Matthew Rittenhouse EOW 9/16/04

Linda Rittenhouse

May 17, 2006

Daniel,
Today we will honor you downtown. It will be an emotional and bittersweet moment for all of us. We all still think of you every day. Your parents and brother's family are constantly on our minds. We all wish things here could be different...it's getting pretty bad. Regardless, we will always keep your parents in our prayers! They need them!

Friend
HPD

May 17, 2006

Well the guys headed to Washington to Honor you, rolled out last night. I was a wife who could not attend, but I am so excited for my Husband to go and honor you. We saw D on TV last week or so when the officer in Guntersville was shot. Boy, it was hard to see her in so much pain. It brought up memories and it was sad, but I know you are with the guys and proud of the ones that went to honor you, they were some of your greatest friends. I told them to remember they are there for you and we wish we could all be there. You will be represented well and rest assured that everyone will be thinking of you tonight when your name is read at the memorial wall. We miss you Daniel.

Wife of Officer
HPD

May 13, 2006

Thank you for your service to your community and the State of Alabama. I will be riding in The Police Unity Tour from Chesapeake VA. to Washington DC this week and wearing a bracelet in your honor. I hope to meet your family and pass this bracelet as well as my condolences along to them.

May God continue to comfort and bless your family,

Rick

Lieutenant Rick Hill
Rainbow City Police Department - Alabama

May 9, 2006

Daniel: I met your lovely wife tonight. She misses you so much and it pains me...your legacy will live on. Rest with Adonai...Shalom Aleichem...

Friend of Patrolman Kip E. Boulis**E.O.W., Sunday, May 30, 1976

Kathleen
Alabama C.O.P.S.

May 5, 2006

Daniel,
You are so missed. We are going to Washington to honor the fallen officers next week....to honor you. You will always be remembered. Your kindness, honesty, and bravery will never be forgotten. I hear the guys talk about you all the time. They REALLY miss you. The current news stories are all bringing up painful feelings, and it's hard not to become bitter. You always knew how to lighten up the mood, and make everyone smile. I know you really put an impact on these guys' lives when I hear and see how they care about you. Your family is in my prayers and I hope I get to see them in D.C. I know you are watching over these guys, and that makes me feel more comfortable.

Wife of HPD officer

May 3, 2006

I was just checking through the Alabama FOP Memorial page and found out about Daniel. I met him in Meridian, MS. at RCTA Spanish school in March 2005. I laughed my rear off and the last day there, I went to my car to head home and he had put something on my door handle that made it too slippery to open and he was across the parking lot with his wife just laughing his butt off.The last I saw of him was when he passed me on I59 hauling butt to get home.Im sorry I didnt know about this sooner.I plan to attend the Officers Memorial in Montgomery in May and hopefully get to meet his family. Our local FOP Lodge #1 has given $1000.00 for his family to attend the memorial in Washington.You were a bright ray of sunshine that made people laugh and I know you are still doing that in Heaven. God Bless your family and brother and sister Officers, I now feel your pain too.

Officer Robert Cox
Birmingham Police Dept.

April 26, 2006

KELSO IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE IVE VISITED THIS SITE. IT REALLY TAKES ALOT OUT OF ME SOMETIMES WHEN I THINK OF WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU THAT AUGUST DAY. I FEEL REALLY BAD ABOUT MYSELF HERE LATELY BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS IM DEALING W/ IN THE DEPT. HAVE ME DOWN AND OUT AND SOMETIMES FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF. I FAILL TO REALIZE JUST HOW GOOD I REALLY HAVE IT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE SACRIFICE YOU MADE THAT DAY HAS MADE ME A BETTER PERSON ALSO A STRONGER AND MORE APPREIATIVE ONE AS WELL. I LOVE YOU MAN AND YOU WILL NEVER EVER BE FORGOTTEN.GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

HPD OFFICER (THUMB)
HSV. POLICE DEPT.

April 26, 2006

it seems like a lifetime since i've heard your voice. it is amazing how time just creeps by when you know that all the time in the world won't change what's happened--it's something i don't know how to fix. i miss u. i want to hear u laugh, see u smile, and argue with u over some silly-who really cares either way--crap. i keep you close--we all do--but i still miss you brother.

HPD

April 22, 2006

My sorrow for the familie I know what it is when you loose your loved one no one can tell you until the walked in your shoes god is with you always my husband was also killed in the line of duty and it will be well again in the place called haven where we all be with our loved once again you are in my toughts god bless you and your children.
Gretchen Le Claire widow of Officer Joseph E.Leclaire
Philadelphia Pa.

Gretchen Leclaire
survivor of Officer Joseph E Leclaire

April 22, 2006

To my uncle Daniel,

Everyone tells me that I look and act just like you!! I hope I will be like you when I grow up! You are the best uncle and I miss you calling me scrub and worm. Love Jaxson

April 11, 2006

I see your family everywhere now. They are on the cover of The Huntsville Times and The Elk Valley Times. They were on the news in Huntsville and Nashville. Their pain is everywhere. I know they never wanted to be well known for anything more than being good people. Now everyone knows them for their pain. Anyone who sees them knows how bad they are doing. Your poor parents! I know they miss you. I know that your brothers in blue are trying to help them. But no one knows what to say to them. No one knows how to make them feel better. I'm praying for them.
I'm glad to see your wife is taking you death so well. She must be a very strong person. She'll be fine. She'll move on and have a life and find happiness. She has lots of friends around her to keep her busy. I guess she doesn't have time to be too sad. She's lucky to have so many people who care about her.
Your parents will never be truely happy again. They will never forget the pain and heart break of losing you. You dad is dying of a broken heart. He is coming undone. I don't think he even knows what day it is sometimes. He is bearly hanging on. Your mom is doing a little better. Not much. She puts a fake, polite smile on. It's never a real smile. She has lost that shine she used to have. She was such a light of happiness. Not any more. I hope people keep praying for them. I hope people never forget you.

Krista

April 9, 2006

Seen your mom and dad today on TV receiving a medal honoring you. I am praying for them , I know your dad is really suffering. Tammy and I were just talking about you sitting in our living room waiting to go to the races, on those hot summer days in the old bus. You were chosen for a reason only God knows. We must understand..

Barry
Flintville, TN

March 29, 2006

Your mom is doing better. She lives through Jaxson and Dylan. Jaxson looks just like you. It's baseball season. You love baseball. Your mom is going to Jaxson's practices. I know she is ready to watch him play ball. Games don't start for a few more weeks. Dylan is also playing ball. He loves it, like you did.
Your mom is a wonderful woman. She has so much love for you and everyone. She keeps pushing herself to be happy or try to be happy. It's so hard for her. She is a blessing to know. She also is taking care of your dad. He needs your help! He needs everyones prayers. I don't know if he'll ever be right again. He has lost such a large part of himself. It was ripped right out of him. He needs prayer. There is no piece that will fill that hole. They will always be half empty. They just long to see your face, smell you, touch you, hear your voice. Everyone misses you so much. Please keep praying for your family. They are such good people.

Another friend in fayetteville

March 27, 2006

I met your lovely wife today. She has so many fond memories of you and your lives together. We (Alabama COPS) are going to help her as much as we can deal with this terrible loss. You will never be forgotten. May you rest in peace.

Jennifer Nichols
Widow, FWC Officer Roy Burnsed

March 23, 2006

I miss you brother. I miss your smile, seeing your gloves sticking out of your back pocket like a baseball player calling you Major Golden calling and hearing that stupid voice mail (yeah you got me on it). Just like the time on Sparkman. Schrader had the guy in the back that wanted to talk to a supervisor I went and got you. I'll have to say you handled that better then some of our supervisors would. I miss singing Baby-Got-Back with you. I miss the talks and the disagreements we had because we were both right. Things have almost gotten back to normal. I still think about you everyday. I know your here with us in your own way, but its not the same. I'm trying to keep an eye on your family, but sometime I'm to ashamed to call. A lot has went own between certain people that I'm not proud of. But I keep being myself. I'll continue to call Dee and be there for her. I'll be there for your mom dad and brother also. I planed to go see your resting place this weekend, if I can bring myself to it. The Sunday before that terrible day, I started thinking about you. I continued to think about you all day. Dont get me wrong I think of the people I work with and care for all the time, but this was different. I remember thinking about a conversation you and I had about life and death, Dee and your parents, my parents and my better half. I thought about that for 2 days up until I got the news from Schrader. I know I'm just rambling on. I just miss you brother. Till we meet again

HPD

March 16, 2006

Happy late birthday, brother. I will never forget August 29, 2005 so long as I live. I know that you saw the mob outside of the emergency room from above that evening as looked down from Heaven. I think about you everyday. I have the laminated picture that they passed out to us hanging from my rearview mirror in my patrol car. Everyday that I work, I see it as I drive around, perform traffic stops, and get out on calls. You are reminding me to pay attention to safety. If I could go back in time, I would put myself right there with you. You set a high standard for us when it comes to such situations. A lesser officer would have ran away. You stood your ground and fought for good against evil. You will forever be a hero of mine and I love you. Rest well, brother.

HPD OFFICER
HPD

March 7, 2006

Daniel, How do I put into words how much you are missed? Our family will never be the same without you. No one can light up a roon with laughter by saying just one word but you! No one can ever shut me up in a debate but you! And bowling will never be the same without you! I miss you my friend!! The one who knew just who he was, where he came from, and what was important in life. I miss double dating with you and Dee!! I miss seeing the smile on your faces when you two were together. And how I hope to have that kind of LOVE one day! I know that you are watching over us all, Keep a close eye on Dee and the kids they are missing you bad!!! I hope you can get into peoples hearts and minds because its getting kind of bad down here!! We are all better people for knowing you. Thank you for the gifts you have left me with. Lots of memories to make me smile, someone to love, and a real life HERO that I got to know in person!!!!

Tabatha

March 5, 2006

Golden i rememeber where i was a year ago on March the 2nd when i went up to Tennessee to eat dinner with you and your family for your birthday. We had a great time and i remember how much i enjoyed it. I remember how everybody up there knew you and how you joked around with everyone. I also remember how funny it was watching you do kareoke to "baby got back". I am so very glad i got to spend that birthday with you and thanks for inviting me man i miss you so much everyday. I am now working in your old zone and think about how much wish you was here with me. You will forever be 27 now and may God be with your family they are such great people. Your buddy,
Powder

Officer Jason Ramsey
Huntsville Police Dept

March 3, 2006

Today is your birthday. You would be 28 years old. You family got you flowers this year. How sad!!! You're family is trying to be so strong. Your dad is taking it so hard. And I don't know how our mom is still walking and breathing. It's a such struggle for her. I know you are taking care of them. They need all of the prayers they can get. David and Tracey really are being so strong to try and help them keep going. I don't know how they do all they do. David and Tracey need prayers. David misses you sooooo much. He is true big brother and such a good man. The boys admire you and love you. The are so proud of you. When they speak your name, there is a sparkle in their eyes. It's not all sadness. They remember how much you love them. You and I didn't know each other very well. But, you have touched and changed my life so much. I want to be a better person because of knowing your family and their lose. I pray for your family everyday. ANYONE WHO READS THIS, PLEASE DON'T STOP PRAYING FOR THE GOLDEN FAMILY!! They need it!

freind in fayetteville

March 2, 2006