Money People by Ray Shay

Theresa checks out SWAT Tactical Gear at Fundraiser     On Thursday morning, Theresa and I were experiencing our typical early morning chaos as we prepared our three boys for school. What made the day special is we would soon be attending the 10th Annual SDPD Citizens for SWAT Golf Tournament at Maderas Golf Club.   As fate would have it, I turned the page on my morning newspaper and read a small article about the tragic news of four California law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the last few days. The most recent victim was Pasadena SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond who died from wounds he suffered from a shotgun blast fired through the front door of a gang members home.   As what sometimes happens with military or emergency personnel, I sat quietly as I looked at the newspaper but my thoughts were suddenly miles away. I did not say a word to anyone as life continued to swirl around me.  It is hard to describe what it is like to suddenly trip and fall into a dark twisted tunnel that leads to one of my private memories.  A moment in time, I would rather not recall.   I was back in the dark and dank hallway near downtown San Diego when the explosive breaching team cleared an alternative entry point to the right of the front door. We were preparing an observation or secondary entry point via the armed suspect's closet.  I still recall the plastic explosives "rocked" all of us and knocked my ballistic helmet down hard across the bridge of my nose. As I pushed up my helmet the suspect began firing his weapon through the front door.  I could not see the bullets only hear the smaller explosions and the metal on metal mechanical sounds of his weapon cycling as the splintering wood holes appeared on the surface of the wooden door allowing small round beams of light to leak out of his barricaded residence and illuminate the soiled carpet outside his front door.  As I reflected briefly on those past critical moments, I could not help but think of the Pasadena Police Officer and his fellow team members.  I then quietly folded the newspaper and told all three of our sons I wanted them to come to the SWAT banquet tonight so they could meet some real heroes.  Our middle son Raymond asked, "Dad were you a hero?"  I quickly replied, "No son, not me. I was just doing my job." I explained the real heroes were the people who came to the golf tournament and donated their hard earned money in order to buy equipment to help the SWAT Team save lives. In unison, both Raymond and Ryan laughed out loud and yelled out, "Oh That's great dad!  You tell the SWAT Officers tonight  they are not heroes. Let us know how it works out for you?" Ray with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, SDPD Chief of Police Shelly Zimmerman and Citizens for SWAT Co-Chair Dan Barnett.    I asked them to tell me who are the people who donate the money if they are not heroes?   Ryan always quick with an answer said,  "There the money people dad."  After several more exchanges Ryan stuck by his opinion insisting they were simply, "money people."  Why could I not understand that? Later in the evening as the auctioneer asked for donations and people started raising their hands I felt like I always do at that time of the event, very uncomfortable. I don't like asking anyone for money, but I also know the reality is that very generous citizens and businesses are vital to providing SWAT Officers with the best equipment available to carry out their hazardous duties. I also know SWAT and Police Officers see themselves as courageous and honorable people who enter harms way for a cause greater than themselves.  To them both the citizens and companies including long time supporters Mor Furniture, Serta and Echo Pacific Construction are the real heroes. To Troy, Raymond and Ryan's point yes, SWAT Officers can be heroes.  The four California Law Enforcement Officers killed last week are certainly heroes that will never be forgotten.  They were dads, brothers and sons who will no longer be able to banter with their children, parents or siblings  about "Money People" and other such interesting things.  It is another reason why Police and Sheriffs Departments across this great country need regular citizens to help them.  Law enforcement agencies can no longer do it alone.     By the way, Citizens for SWAT raised over $100,000.00 dollars this year to help make our community and our police officers a bit safer.  Thank you. Copyrighted - All Rights Reserved - Shay Realtors 2014

Memorial Day by Ray Shay

Memorial Day  

By Ray Shay

 

The days leading up to Memorial Day, I found myself thinking of both friends and family members who have served in the United States Armed Forces.  I thought of all the soldiers and military personnel who sacrificed their lives protecting our country and our freedoms which is the real reason we celebrate this special day.

I believe an indication of our deep love of freedom can be measured by the large number of our  warriors who perished protecting complete strangers on foreign lands.  Many of the people they were protecting have never traveled to America, much less sipped from our hard fought cup of freedom. 

I never served in the military, so I struggle to understand the depth of sacrifices of so many young people, many of whom were only kids when they died.  I wondered if my own life had been snuffed out by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), a snipers bullet or in the up close personal type of armed combat of prior generations, what I would miss the most in my life?

I think it is a personal decision, but I can tell you hands down my greatest joy and thus my greatest loss would have never to have been a father.

I was thinking of our countless heroes from years past while I watched our youngest son, Ryan release a blue and white yoyo from his hand.  The small disk was spinning relentlessly as it raced towards the dark hardwood floor of our living room floor.  The white string neatly unfurled from it's tight confines before the yoyo struck the floor with a surprising deep sounding "clunk" and rolling a few inches before unceremoniously falling over. 

Ryan Shay

The look on Ryan's face was precious.  Having just procured his very first yoyo at Del Sur Elementary School, he had discovered that even with his arm extended above his shoulder the yoyo string was still too long to be operational.   He was simply too short.  

I watched closely as Ryan critically assessed the situation.  He thought for a moment and then deftly stepped up on to our living room couch (with his white soccer flats on), and tried again.   

The extra about twenty inches of height was enough to allow his yoyo to reach the end of it's repetitive journey and quickly curl back up to his little right palm.  With a sense of satisfaction, Ryan quickly turned his head and flashed me a devilish grin.  He had solved the problem.

I just wanted to freeze that brief moment in time that so many of our veterans frequently miss. 
Later in the day, I text Ryan' s older brothers Troy and Raymond the picture to the right. I found hanging in a gunsmith's shop in El Cajon. Two places, I rarely go.   

I noticed the poster on the right was hanging on a "peg board" on the wall of the business.  I laughed to myself because I couldn't wait to ask our three sons if they knew what a "peg board" was.  I began to practice various scenarios on how I could explain it to them.

Towards the end of the day,  Theresa and I attended Raymond's last Lacrosse game of the season for the Del Norte Nighthawks.   As luck would have it, Raymond took a shot at goal in overtime and scored the winning goal. 

As his teammates swarmed him and everyone was cheering, I thought how fortunate we are that we can enjoy our freedoms and spend so much precious time with our children.  A privilege so many military families cannot.

When we returned home, I located a pair of scissors and trimmed the length of Ryan's yoyo string so he could enjoy his timeless toy without leaving his shoe prints on our couch.  He was so happy and for a split second he looked at me like I was his hero.

Deep in my heart, I knew I was not.   I know who the true heroes really are.  They are the moms, dads, sons and daughters who wear American flags on the shoulder of their military uniforms and too frequently surrender their dreams so we can have ours.

Theresa and I hope you had a great Memorial Holiday weekend.    

  

Copyright Shay Realtors 2014 All Rights Reserved.