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AMERICAN FORK — Friday will mark one year since Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride was gunned down in the line of duty.
While Nannette Wride, the sergeant’s widow, knows the day will be difficult, she also knows Cory Wride won't be forgotten.
“It seems like a second funeral in a way, with this first anniversary of his death,” she said.
A video, being shared on social media, is helping to spread the word about the "Wride Walk” Friday at 5 p.m. in Wride's hometown of American Fork.
"We're hoping to have a lot of people from the community come to the police station and join us in a walk, just down the street to Cory Wride's memorial at the park,” American Fork High School student council member Matthew Gardner said.
Wride graduated from American Fork High.
“American Fork is a family and that is what we are showing that we really care,” American Fork High School student council member Brittan Young said.
The walk is not only in Wride’s memory, but a show of support for law enforcement.
"This isn't a big political thing that we are doing; we just want to show our support for a member of our community that lost his life in the service of others,” American Fork student body president Cole Farnsworth said.
The students are getting support from city leaders.
"It has been really special to see how the students network but their really good intent and what they are trying to accomplish with this event,” American Fork City Councilman Brad Frost said.
Wride's parents will lead the walk.
“It has been a year full of ups and downs,” said Blake Wride, Cory Wride’s father. “There is not a day that goes by that you don't have a lot of thoughts and memories."
They say it means a lot to have students from their son’s high school organize it.
“I was amazed that they want to thank all law enforcement men and women who serve their communities, and to me that is saying a lot of our youth,” said Kathy Wride, Cory Wride’s mother.
Wride’s family is preparing to go to Washington, D.C., in May to see his name added to the national law enforcement memorial — a trip made possible with support from the Fraternal Order of Police and Jet Blue Airlines.
And on Friday at 11 a.m., the Mid-Valley Park in Eagle Mountain will be renamed in Sgt. Wride's honor. The public is invited to the ceremony.
