Can you imagine having someone in your family who risks their life every single time that they go to work?
22 year old Maddi Lawida could, her father Scott had been a police officer for 35 years.
Scott Lawida of Amherst, New York rose through the ranks during his time in the service and retired recently with the title of Senior Investigator. While doing his final sign-off call, Scott was surprised to hear his daughters voice come over the radio to wish him well.
Flying in from her University in Florida, Maddi made the trip without her father knowing.
She thanked him for his service, telling him that he was the best officer she knew, she ended the call by telling him that it was now time to enjoy. Maddi only ever knew her father as a police officer as he’d been doing it since before she was born, Surely she is looking forward to seeing him in retirement mode.
The children of police officers often go through many different emotions about their parents job.
They feel both pride and fear, love and sometimes even resentment, but in this video Maddi is radiating such pride in her father even the regular dispatch officer she is sitting beside tears up at her words. It seems to take Officer Lawida a moment or two before he realizes who is speaking and the moment he does a huge smile crosses his face and tears fill his eyes.
At one point during his final message, Scott pays a small homage to the officers who died in the line of duty.
“Not every officer has retired in house, and some don’t get to go home.” He says, emotion touching his voice as he undoubtedly recalls some of his fallen brethren. Scott then thanks his team for always having his back.
While the face-to-face reunion of the two was not posted, the love they obviously feel for each other was palpable.
At the end of the call, when Scott finally realizes his daughter was there to send him off, he is told that she was waiting for him upstairs and a look of joy passed over his face. While it is unknown how long they had been apart since Maddi had left for collage, their meeting was surely full of emotion and great big hugs.
According to Hero911.org, many retired police officers become resource officers in schools.
It can be hard for many people to retire, and doubly so for police officers who feel like after retirement they can no longer make a difference. In the last few years however, resource officers have become the norm for many schools all over the country, and retired police officers make up a large amount of those numbers.
Whatever he ends up doing in his retirement, Officer Scott Lawida will surely have the support of his family.
After 35 years in the service, this dedicated gentleman deserves a life of relaxation and to be surrounded by his family, who obviously love him dearly.
Watch the heartwarming send-off video below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
