Though many people will never suffer the heartbreaking loss of having family members killed in the line of duty as first responders, that tragedy is all too real for Scout Cade A., whose police officer father was killed while on the job when Cade was only seven months old.

The Deseret News shared the story of how Cade is now focusing his Eagle Scout project on memorializing first responders.

Back in 2011, which was ten years after the tragedy that befell Cade’s father, a Scout from the community completed an Eagle Scout project that memorialized Cade’s father and other first responders who sacrificed their lives in service of the community. That Eagle Scout project included a park and memorial monument.

Though Cade was only 10 years old at the time of the dedication of that park, that Eagle Scout project made a significant impact on him. At the dedication of the park, he told the Deseret News that it would give him a chance to feel connected to his father.

“Whenever we have family get-togethers, we can come here and feel the spirit with us and know he’s going to be here with us,” he said.

This year, Cade, who is now a Scout himself, wanted to continue the work of that original Eagle Scout project with his own Eagle Scout project that would add lighting to the memorial and make it possible for people to experience the impact of the town’s first-responder memorial during night as well as day.

Cade spoke about the memorial, the first responders whose sacrifice it recognizes, and the families whose lives are forever changed by tragedy. “I want them to know that our family loves their families, and that they’ll see them again and it’s not the end,” he said.

You can see the full story of Cade’s Eagle Scout project in the Deseret News.

To learn more about how Eagle Scouts impact their communities through service, see the Baylor University Study, “Eagle Scouts: Merit Beyond the Badge.”