The late sheriff deputy father’s brothers in blue gave the Washington bride a heartfelt gesture during the wedding
One of the most memorable days in a person’s life is their wedding, which should be celebrated with family and friends. What transpires, though, when a crucial family member is not present, mainly when that family member is the bride’s deceased father, a sheriff’s deputy who died in the line of duty? When Kristen Mundell encountered this obstacle, her father’s blue-collar brothers showed up in a touching gesture that brought her to tears.
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Four police officers unexpectedly intervened to take Kristen’s hand during the father-daughter dance, which caught her off guard. Seattle-based photographer Angela Lyons captured the heartbreaking moment as the audience started to cry. Kristen claimed she was unaware of what would happen next but knew the officers had planned a dance. I was startled to feel someone tap my shoulder. and I heard, ‘Can I cut in?’ I was startled. Kristen told KOMO TV that I was at a loss on how to respond or react. He said, “There’s a whole line of us,” As soon as he finished, the next officer interrupted, and I just started crying.
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
The last officer to dance with Kristen had to support her because the experience, too, moved her. Kristen’s gown featured a blue ribbon sewn down the back that represented the Thin Blue Line, a memorial used by law enforcement to honor slain officers.
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
A ten-year police veteran named Kent Mundell was seriously hurt on December 21, 2009, while responding to a domestic dispute report. His wife Lisa, daughter Kristen, and son Austin, who was eleven then, were by his side when he passed away a week later.
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Kristen admitted it was challenging to plan her wedding without her father. Any wedding was a big deal; without my dad there, it was harder for all of us. But because there were tributes to her father all over the wedding, she felt closer to him. “Now that more than six years have passed, it’s difficult to understand that he won’t be here or sit in that chair. He ought to be seated in his chair but is not. According to Kristen, knowing that we could reserve a seat for him and that I could feel him there made it very meaningful.
Image Credit: Angela Lyons
Even though Kristen Mundell’s wedding day was emotional, it was made even more special by the kind gesture from her father’s blue-collar brothers. It is evidence of the close bond between law enforcement personnel and the difference Kent Mundell made in his neighborhood. His memory is carried on through his family, friends, and fellow officers.
