When a first responder is killed or critically injured in the line of duty like DPS Trooper Chad Walker, it can take a big hit on a family's finances.
Thanks to the Texas Fallen Officer Foundation and the 100 Club, the Walker family will have one less thing to worry about.
"Any time their loved one goes to work and don't know if they're going to come back home is traumatic for the family," says William Skeen, the Executive Director of the 100 Club.
For William Skeen, the executive director of the 100 club, he knew the nonprofit had to step in and help.
"Most law enforcement family are 2 income families they're relying on the paycheck plus overtime plus extra jobs and if an officer is injured in the line of duty that's sometimes two income streams cut off from the family and it may be a while until they're able to get back to work," says Skeen.
Thanks to the nonprofit, over 46 million dollars in have been donated to first responder families over the last 68 years, including the family of Falls County K-9 Deputy Matt Jones, when Riesel Chief of Police Danny Krumnow was injured and now the Walker family.
"When an officer is seriously injured in the line of duty we help with whatever needs they may have, the time loss of income any needs the family may have. If it's a line of duty death situation, we try to alleviate any debt from the family," says Skeen.
According to Skeen, Texas is one of the top three most dangerous states to be a law enforcement officer.
That's why the Texas Fallen Officer Foundation is also helping the Walker family.
"When an officer goes down in the line of duty it's not just a community that hurts, its a whole nation," says Ron Leonard, the Chaplin of the Texas Fallen Officer Foundation.
The nonprofit relies entirely on donations to then help those families, they also have a national chapter that can chip in and help if needed
"And so they are really hurting, and I as Chaplin try to reach out emotionally to say what can we do to help you to cope with this?" says Leonard.
Since the Fallen Officer Foundation was funded, it has helped 200 Texas officer families financially.
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