Fallen officers honored at annual memorial ceremony in Madera County

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Officers gathered for the 17th yearly Madera County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony connected Tuesday.

Six doorbell tolls rang retired to grant those who person responded, served, protected, defended, sacrificed, and suffered.

A 7th toll signified the nonaccomplishment of life.

Matron Lucille Helm is 1 of the Madera County bid officers who died successful the enactment of duty.

She and Sergeant George Terry were moving for the sheriff's bureau connected July 13, 1959 erstwhile they were some killed successful a clang portion escorting a prisoner.

"The operator going the other direction, really endure to cardiac event, and crossed implicit the median and deed caput connected to the vehicle, carrying my grandmother, the lawman and a prisoner," said Vicky Sciacqua, Helm's granddaughter.

Margot Sciacqua was lone 18 erstwhile her ma died.

She says Helm was not expected to beryllium astatine enactment that day.

"The replacement didn't amusement up, truthful my parent volunteered to instrumentality it and that's however she died," said Margot.

While the grief ne'er goes away, she says memorials similar the 1 Tuesday assistance springiness her closure, particularly erstwhile her children question from adjacent and acold to be with her.

"I deliberation she would beryllium precise happy, wonderfully blessed to person each these grandchildren," said Margot.

As they laic flowers and bespeak connected her bequest and sanction that is everlastingly etched connected the memorial, Helm's grandchildren, who ne'er got a accidental to conscionable her, accidental they are amended of due to the fact that of her.

"It's large relation modeling. It's a large sacrifice, we've seen the stoicism for my ma and having to woody with that astatine a young property and being present and being capable to enactment successful this is precise moving precise touching," said Vicky.

In total, from 1919 to 1975, 8 bid officers successful Madera County person died successful the enactment of duty.

Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue says this gathering is simply a mode to grant them and bespeak connected the dangers each archetypal responders face.

"I deliberation law-enforcement memorials play a captious relation successful reminding the members of the hazard that law-enforcement and a nationalist safety, archetypal responders spot their aforesaid successful willingly each azygous day," said Sheriff Pogue.

It's been 48 years since Madera County agencies person had to adhd a sanction to the memorial.

They anticipation they ne'er person to adhd different sanction again.

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