AUSTIN, Texas — After three Austin police officer deaths over the weekend, Austin Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Mewis found a way to honor them.
Mewis was already planning to run an ultra-marathon to raise money for the Central Texas Pig Rescue when he decided to honor the officers as well. What started as a run to support a local animal rescue turned into a moment for Mewis to remember and honor brothers and sisters in the force.
“This past weekend, we lost three officers all at one time, in just a few days,” Mewis said.
Those three were running through his mind these past two days as he ran 128 miles to the Texas State Capitol.
KVUE caught up with him at mile 106.
“I am very sore. Everything hurts,” Mewis said.
He stopped at mile markers that matched the badge numbers of fallen officers.
Senior Police Officer Jorge Pastore was shot and killed in the line of duty on Saturday while trying to save lives.
“I don't think you can have a truer definition of a hero,” Mewis said.
Senior Police Officer Kristy Astran died on Sunday.
“I love working with her and taking calls with her,” Mewis said. “She always had a smile on her face. She was always fun to be around.”
Mewis talked about the mental health impacts of the job.
“I can just say that you're always experiencing these little moments of trauma over and over again in this line of work,” Mewis said.
The third – recently retired officer Ray Shillito – died in a car crash on Sunday.
It was so much loss over the course of just two days, but Mewis said the community support makes a great difference.
“The support that they've shown, the outpouring when they've come and they've dropped flowers off, they've dropped cards off,” he said.
It's proving as a community, we'll get through this one step at a time.