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Letter to the editor

Friends of late officer rally

A year after Kirby Fenton's death, his former police colleagues step in to make sure his kids have a joyful Christmas.

By CARRIE JOHNSON
Published December 25, 2004

SEMINOLE - Lynne Fenton wasn't expecting a very joyful holiday this year.

Her husband, St. Petersburg police Officer Kirby Fenton, died a year ago Dec. 17 at age 45 after a long fight with brain cancer.

Lynne grew increasingly concerned about her two young children as the anniversary of the death neared. She worried it would cast a pall over Christmas and her 9-year-old daughter Karly's birthday on Dec. 21.

"I wish it wouldn't have happened at this time of year," Lynne said. "It's not a good thing for the kids to associate with Christmas."

That's when Kirby Fenton's former colleagues from the St. Petersburg Police Department decided to take action.

Taking up a collection among themselves, the officers bought dozens of presents for Karly and her 11-year-old brother Kelin. They also raised more than $850 for the family.

"Their generosity is so amazing," Lynne said, choking back tears. "It was well above and beyond anything I could have expected."

The collection was the idea of Sgt. Gary Robbins, who wanted to let the family know they hadn't been forgotten. His colleague, Officer Roy Olsen, asked the Fenton children for a list of presents, which was posted on the department's message board on a law enforcement Web site.

The donations quickly started flowing. Word spread through City Hall, and City Council members agreed to pitch in, too.

Soon the officers had enough money to do the Christmas shopping. They bought the children a DVD player, a CD burner, two new bicycles, skateboarding shoes, teddy bears and a digital camera, among other things.

"We wanted to make sure that when the kids woke up on Christmas day, it would be a good experience for them," Olsen said.

Kirby Fenton's death brought sadness to the department last year. A 16-year veteran of the force, Fenton patrolled the streets, solved burglaries and served as a mentor to countless rookies.

Olsen said the death hit him especially hard. He and Fenton were the same age and Olsen also has two young children. In August of 2003, Olsen helped organize a fundraiser at Outback Steakhouse that raised more than $20,000 for Fenton's medical bills.

The experience drew him even closer to the Fenton family, so he said he was pleased to see the outpouring of support this Christmas.

"Something like this can really devastate a family," Olsen said. "It's good for them to know they're not alone."

The year since her husband's death has been difficult, Lynne said. She and her children try to stay busy, but the loss hits them when they slow down.

"It usually happens at bedtime," she said. "That's when they realize that Dad's no longer with them."

Still, they try to make the best of it. On Fenton's birthday, Father's Day and the anniversary of the death, the children wrote notes to their dad and attached them to balloons.

"Then we let go of the balloons," Lynne said, "and watch them until we can't see them anymore."

On Friday afternoon, Karly and Kelin were racing around their Seminole home, playing with some of the presents the officers delivered earlier in the week. The rest are still wrapped and stacked neatly under the Christmas tree.

"This is really great," Kelin said. "It was really nice of the officers to do this. It made me feel much better."

Carrie Johnson can be reached at 727 892-2273 or cjohnson@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 25, 2004, 04:47:34]