Memorial honors police and firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep Mentor residents safe
It only takes a moment for your day –– or even your life –– to change when you work as a police officer or firefighter.
“You can be having the best day,” Mentor Police Patrolman Matt Alvord explained. “But any day, any moment, it can change in a heartbeat.”
A call that seems typical, even dull, can be your last. For example, Deputy Marshal Lawrence P. Yaxley, the first law enforcement officer in the Village of Mentor’s history, died while trying to replace the pieces of a broken manhole in 1927.
He was 21 years old.
The Mentor community was reminded just how dangerous the job could be on June 24, 2018. Shortly after midnight, Patrolman Mathew Mazany assisted another officer during a traffic stop on Route 2. He’d gone on hundreds of calls like this in his 14 years as a Mentor police officer. But when he stepped out of his cruiser that night, he was struck and killed by an impaired driver.
In the days after the tragedy, the tributes poured in. People donated money to his family. They dropped off care packages at the police station for the officers. They covered Mazany’s police cruiser with flowers, balloons, and American flags.
“The outpouring we saw after the death of Officer Mazany showed us just how deeply the community cares about its safety services and officers,” said Ken Filipiak, Mentor City Manager.
But some wanted to do more. As the City was contemplating a permanent memorial to its fallen safety service personnel, the owners of Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center reached out to the city and offered to provide funding and help plan a fitting place of remembrance.
Mentor Police Chief Ken Gunsch said, “This is an example of a business giving back to the community, and the members of the police department cannot thank them enough for being a partner in the memorial design and construction.”
“They put their lives on the line daily to keep us safe,” Adam Sanden said. “Plain and simple – we rely on them every single day to continue to enjoy the freedoms we have. I think we all take them for granted and this is a small token of appreciation for those that paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
A committee of active Mentor police officers and firefighters was formed to assist with the design.
Battalion Fire Chief Tom Keidel was on the committee that helped design the Mentor Public Safety Forces Memorial. “We wanted it to be a simple, welcoming design,” he said, “somewhere you could spend some time and have privacy and time to reflect.”
It was important to both the Mentor City Council and administration that the sentiments expressed on the stone memorial reflect how deeply the community values those who serve.
“While only the families of the fallen truly know what it’s like to lose a loved one, they should know how grateful we are for their service and heroism. The Mentor Public Safety Forces Memorial will offer the perfect site for our community to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice while providing comfort and support to their families and loved ones. We are so grateful for their service and must never forget their sacrifice to our community,” Searles said.
Mentor City Council President Bruce Landeg said the memorial is a fitting tribute to those who sacrifice so much. He also called Mentor’s safety services some of the finest in the state.
“Today’s police and fire are under more scrutiny than ever and they continue to do exemplary work in the City of Mentor,” he said.
The Mentor Public Safety Forces Memorial was formally dedicated on June 24, 2021 – the third anniversary of Officer Mazany’s death – at the Mentor Civic Center campus. Mentor Fire Chief Robert Searles said it means a lot to have the memorial on the same grounds as the police and fire department headquarters.
Patrolman Alvord, who also served on the Memorial Committee, said he’s grateful for the community’s support and what the memorial represents.
“We’re fortunate to be in a community where they understand,” Alvord said.
Article written by Jason Lea and originally published in the 2021 edition of Mentor City Magazine.