SAN ANTONIO — Like a ribbon of grief, they weaved their way along Loop 410 Tuesday—San Antonio Police officers flashing their lights, signaling to everyone in sight that it was time to pause and honor a fallen public servant.
Their fire-fighting comrades, meanwhile, stood at attention on an overpass, lost in thought hours after a fellow firefighter died in a tragic accident Tuesday morning, and reflecting on who will fill a pair of boots, now empty.
On the freeway, drivers stopped to watch, many not yet knowing what had happened. The plaintive wail of a siren broke the silence, crying the news no community ever wants to hear: that someone dedicated to protecting and serving would never answer another roll call.
Traditionally, an honor guard remains with the fallen until their funeral service. Those arrangements are pending as of Tuesday evening.