SAN ANTONIO — Two Kendall County Sheriff Deputies died just days apart. Deputy Carlos Ramirez was hit and killed by a vehicle during a traffic stop on Tuesday. Just three days later, Sergeant Matthew Johnson lost his battle with colon cancer.
Kendall County Sheriff Al Auxier said it is a tough pill to swallow. The deputies are his family.
The group Angels All Around You is planning to honor the two men with a vigil on Wednesday, July 10. The group is a prayer and support group for members of the armed forces, first responders and their families. Chuck Brower with the organization said it has been tragic for Boerne. "We have lost two wonderful individuals," he said.
Deputy Ramirez had been with the sheriff's department for three years. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
On Friday, Sgt. Johnson passed away at his home surrounded by family. KENS 5 spoke to Johnson a year ago after he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He spent his time spreading awareness about colonoscopies.
"It is not anything to shy away from," he told us at the time. "It is something that needs to be done."
On Sunday, his wife wrote on the Team Johnson Facebook page: "I am afraid to slow by brain down long enough to think about the fact that my soulmate is in heaven."
"These guys are just as important to us as our military," Brower said. They are out here supporting and defending us on the home ground and everything."
The group is arranging a vigil for Ramirez and Johnson. They will hold it at Veteran's Plaza in Boerne. They invite everyone to come out and pray.
"They were both very much loved around here," he said. "This will be a really good way for us to heal."
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