Woman behind viral Barney procession photo found


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SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands of Utahns lined the procession route on the day of officer Barney's funeral. But it was one photo of a woman on the side of the street that was shared thousands of time all over the world.

If you've ever made a call to Deer Valley Ski Resort, chances are you've talked to Louise Redmond.

"This is my 29th year here," said Redmond.

Throughout those years a lot has changed, including her health.

"I'll turn 66 in July," she said.

Both of her hips have been replaced, and soon the knees will need replacing too.

"Sitting doesn't seem to bother me but standing in place surely does, even five minutes," she said.

That's why it's even more amazing Louise did what she did, standing at attention during a procession 53 miles long that lasted nearly an hour.

"I couldn't leave," she said through tears. "I had to stay and thank each one of these men and women. I caught a glance of (officer Barney's) wife, and she and I looked at each other."

Although Louise has trouble getting around, she knows the building at Deer Valley well. What she didn't know was that there were people waiting to meet her, including some of those in uniform who passed her that day and one very special guest.

"Hi, my name is Erica Barney, and I'm officer Doug Barney's wife. I just wanted to say, 'thank you.' It meant so much to us to have so many people out there. That picture of you sure touched a lot of people."

Some of the officers in the procession drove an hour to meet Louise.

"I wanted a big hug," Chief Brian Gwilliams of the Lone Peak Police Department said. "I've been wanting to do this for over a week now."

A week of waiting to meet this woman, but a lifetime to remember how it felt.

If you call Deer Valley Resort, chances are you'll talk to Louise Redmond, but now you know just how special the woman on the other end of the line is.

"It was a good day, even though we'll miss him a lot," Redmond said.

"It was very special," Erica Barney agreed.

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Ashley Kewish

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