This is Portland Police K-9 Officer Mick. He died yesterday. Killed in the line of duty while doing the very job he was trained to do. Protecting his partner. Protecting his community. Officer Mick was more than a dog. He was one of Portland’s Finest. He was a hero. Sworn to protect. Dedicated to serve.
And yesterday on April 16, 2014, K-9 Officer Mick protected and served to the highest level by saving his partner’s life while giving his own life at the same time. The ultimate sacrifice. He was only 19 months old.
This tragedy has hit many of us hard. A community grieves. But our pain, the pain of a community, is nothing compared to the pain felt by his wounded Portland Police partner, Officer Jeff Dorn. Because his loss is far greater, far more painful, than our loss.
As Ililani A. Morrison wrote on The Pongo Fund Facebook page, “Some things are hard to understand. Peace to those who are suffering the loss of this beautiful animal and healing thoughts to the injured officer whose injuries are far beyond the wounds to his legs.”
And as Monica Kelly Wright wrote, “Rest in peace, beautiful boy. Your work is done, your shift is over. Thank you for your service, great heart! May you have sunshine and green fields across the bridge and justice on this earth for the criminal that took your life!”
All of us at The Pongo Fund echo those words. And we pray for the speedy healing of wounded Officer Dorn while we join together and mourn the death of his K-9 partner, Officer Mick.
And above all, we pray for the safety of every one of our officers every day, both two-legged and four. We thank them for their brave service to this community. A community that today mourns a four-legged hero named Mick.
Yesterday Officer Mick saved lives. Today he is gone. And he will be missed.
Please join all of us at The Pongo Fund in saying a prayer in memory of this hero, K-9 Officer Mick.
We wish you always peace, love and kibble. From all of us at The Pongo Fund.
Written by Larry Chusid, The Pongo Fund, April 17, 2014.
thepongofund.org