NEW WHITELAND, Ind. — Exactly one year ago, Indiana state trooper Aaron Smith was hit and killed during a stolen vehicle pursuit. Now, one year later, the local community is honoring Smith and his sacrifice with a ceremonial groundbreaking of a new memorial.
“Aaron Smith and his family have changed us forever,” said ISP Superintendent Doug Carter.
The memorial pays tribute to Smith and also the many other first responders making an impact in the Hoosier State.
“We are grateful for the privilege of celebrating this new expansion of Proctor Park for the first anniversary of our son, Indiana state trooper Aaron Smith,” said the trooper’s father, Garry Smith.
Aaron Smith already has a memorial in Proctor Park. The memorial is situated right next to a tribute to his best friend Jimmy, who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Soon, a much larger memorial will stand strong and feature three 15-foot granite slabs to honor the lives of Smith, Jimmy, and all first responders for the sacrifices they made to serve their communities.
“We realize a slab of granite in a park, no matter how beautiful or how large, will never take away the grief of the wonderful life that was lost and the potential of what could’ve been,” said Wendy McClellan, the executive director of UpLift Johnson County. “We hope this memorial will stand to show you and others that the sacrifice is remembered and honored by your community, and we stand with you in your grief.”
The memorial will pay tribute to past, present and future first responders, and each granite slab will be engraved with the oaths of police, fire, and EMT divisions. Local officials hope to have the memorial complete within the next year, specifically before the first snowfall.
“To me personally, I can come up here any time of the day, night, whenever and just visit spiritually with Aaron and the remembrance that I had with him,” Garry Smith said.
Garry Smith said it was always his son’s dream to work in law enforcement.
“He did a little paper for school one year … He had drawn a stick figure of me and him and it said, ‘I want to be a policeman like my dad,’” Garry Smith said.
Garry Smith added that he’s pleased the memorial will honor all first responders, not just his son.
“Having a place to honor the heroes like Aaron and his best friend James (Jimmy) A. Waters and other Johnson County military, law enforcement, and EMS, makes this holy ground for our family,” Garry Smith said. “We hope by remembering what happened a year ago will also remember those who served on behalf of all Hoosiers.
“Our hope is that, for years to come, visitors to the park will come here and recognize the service and sacrifice of veterans, first responders, and take time to honor them as they deserve.”
Donations are still needed to bring Smith’s memorial to life. To learn more, click here.
