MONROE COUNTY, Indiana — A heartfelt tradition continued Wednesday as the Monroe County Sheriff's Department escorted fallen Deputy James Driver’s daughter, Lily, to the bus for her first day of school.
Lily's dad died in the line of duty after a crash on State Road 45 on March 29, 2021.
While responding to an accident, a truck lost control and collided with his cruiser.
Driver, a native of England, was looking forward to becoming a U.S. citizen, becoming a full-time deputy and watching Lily, his princess, start kindergarten last year.
Last fall, officers lined the street in front of Lily's house and the bus stop for a special send-off to school. They also presented Lily with a teddy bear made from her dad's uniform.
A Monroe County dispatcher spearheaded that effort and got the bear through a nonprofit called Blue Line Bears. It was a pint-sized protector on this child's big day.