BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — Nearly four years ago, Boone County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Pickett died when a suspect shot him during a police pursuit.
It was a tragedy for the entire community but none more than for his wife, Jen, and their two young sons.
But now, Jen has created an organization to honor the way Jake lived — not how he died.
"Respond like Jake," Jen said of the driving force behind the "Jacob Pickett Response" to honor her late husband.
"Jake lived his life giving to others," Jen said. "He'd give you the shirt off his back. He would jump out of a car to push a stranded car. He helped me. If you needed help with something to call him, he was there."
Jen's organization focuses on supporting police families in need by providing financial and social support and resources.
"I really wanted to create an organization that would embody how he lived and his legacy and give back to law enforcement officers in a way that the community supported me, and certainly, it was a hard time, but it was made easier with the support."
Jen said the organization doesn't solely focus on officers who die in the line of duty.
"There are several great organizations that help active law enforcement officers or retired law enforcement officers that are going through something. We can help financially, or we can help facilitate things," Jen said.
Last year, the organization helped support an officer's family whose wife battled cancer.
"My good friend, Amanda Farinella, her husband, Justin, actually worked with Jacob. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. It was heartbreaking, and I wanted to help," Jen said. "For the second 'Deputy Jacob Remembrance Day,' we raised funds for them, and we were able to financially help them with their medical treatments."
And here's some good news: Jen said Amanda is in remission.
"She had an aggressive form [of cancer], and she's amazing. I'm just glad that we were able to be there to help support her through that time," Jen said.
This year, the organization is raising money to buy a service dog for a former officer suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Teddy, a veteran and retired police officer from Carmel, was diagnosed with PTSD and actually had to quit working as a police officer because of it," Jen said.
Teddy needed a PTSD service dog, which differs from a therapy dog in multiple ways:
- A service dog's training is specific to that person.
- A service dog typically costs around $25,000.
"Our goal is to raise almost half of that cost to help contribute to the hero family outreach. We met our goal and were able to donate some money to them so they can purchase the dog. I believe the dog will be ready pretty soon to go home to Teddy and his family," Jen said.
The organization raises money primarily through two fundraisers a year, as well as through donations, while also giving the fallen deputy's two young sons a better glimpse of how their dad lived his life.
"They're doing really well. They're growing fast — a little too fast. They're doing great, and they enjoy helping," Jen said. "They understand what we're doing and that we're helping police and that we're doing it the way that their dad helped people."
The organization is also helping Jen head the deepest wound a heart can ever endure.
"It's given me purpose and something to do with that and continue to help me get back to that. Law enforcement family that has been so great to us," Jen said.
The organization's goal is to open a center in Boone County to provide even more help for law enforcement families, such as if a parent gets called out in the middle of the night and needs child care — or simply, just for fellowship.
Click here to donate to Jacob Pickett Response.
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