Good News!

I got my hands on a backup camera and just in time, too. I got a call from Cindy Day letting me know that all four of her children would be home this weekend. This is a rarity and all four of them wanted to participate in the segment about their dad, Deputy Assistant Chief Michael J. Day, Sr., who died in the line of duty almost two years ago.

Today, I packed up my equipment and headed over to the Day home. Cindy was on the front porch working on her window boxes and brought me inside. I was introduced to Brianne and Amanda, whom I had not yet met. Stephanie and Michael joined us and we sat in their living room to shoot their segment.

I don't want to give away all that they shared here, but I have to say that this family never ceases to amaze me. They have an unbelievable strength and it is even more apparent when the five of them are together - Cindy included. These four amazing young individuals shared some very happy and very painful memories with me today, but they did far more than that; they also shared a wisdom that no one their age should already have knowledge of. From Michael, Jr., 23 years old, straight down through Stephanie, just 16 years old, these kids have a wonderful philosophy on what they have endured and what they have sacrificed. I can't wait to put the segment together and share it with everyone.

I have to admit that I cried with them. I apologized to all of them for it and felt awful that I'd done it until I had a little chat with Mike. He told me that he was actually glad that I had connected with them to that extent. In essence, he told me that it assured him that I would tell their story well because of the connection I'd made with them.

I cannot thank the Day Family enough for their participation and support with the film. I am so proud to have them be a part of this. What's more is that I know that Mike would be proud of them for it, too. He and Cindy have created four truly fantastic individuals and I will share this much... I talked with them about tributes and memorials and how they would like to have their father be remembered and after that, I told them that I thought that there could be no more perfect memorial or tribute to their father than they, themselves are. Most parents beam with pride when they speak of their children... but once you've met the Day kids - it's no wonder why Cindy is filled with pride. It's mutual, though - the kids are just as prideful when they speak of their parents.