Alex Maddox is a heroine in her own right. She has found the strength to face fear and overcome multiple tragedies. However, much of her courage and sacrifice come from being married to a veteran law enforcement officer.
Chase Maddox was more than a courageous police officer; he was also a loving husband and great father. Shortly after the birth of their first son, Chase and Alex noticed something wrong with Bradin. Bradin’s “dancing eyes” were the first indicator that something was wrong in infancy. Despite learning that Bradin has a rare congenital brain disorder, Chase loved his son and spent every moment he could with his family.
Then, Alex’s world was plunged into darkness when she received the call that her husband wouldn’t be coming home from a routine police task. Chase was killed while serving an arrest warrant for a suspect who failed to appear in municipal court. During the long, painful struggle with grief and loss, Alex had to learn how to find hope in the middle of her darkness.
The Hidden Heroes: Law Enforcement Families
Who says lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice? Little did Alex know that she would need the lessons she learned after the loss of her husband to carry her through the loss of her son, Bradin, to his congenital condition.
During her darkest days, a group of loving supporters from Band of Blue came alongside her to help and serve her. This experience gave Alex a drive to “turn pain into purpose” by helping other law enforcement families.
Alex, and law enforcement families like hers, are heroes that deserve our recognition. Every day, she got up and made the courageous decision to live without fear. Many military and law enforcement families are petrified by the potential of losing a loved one in the line of duty. This fear can become darkness that, left unchecked, can ruin your life. Alex learned to let hope guide her through the despair of losing a husband and son.
From Grief to Growth: Going Through Grief Without Getting Stuck
As a young married couple, Alex and Chase realized that bad days would come their way. There’s nothing they could do to avoid them. However, they recognized that life would also bring some good days.
This realization helped Alex and Chase enjoy the good days without worrying about the bad ones.
Grief can become overwhelming when losing a spouse or child. Being on the receiving end of those tragedies, Alex has dealt with more loss and suffering than most people her age. This process taught her to go “through” the grief without getting stuck.
Knowing that she still has a son to raise, Alex has decided to embrace the suffering and learn from it without letting it determine her family’s future.
Love Never Dies: Learning to Live Again after Losing a Spouse
Alex is passing on her lessons to other law enforcement families. However, every day she must live out the lessons for her remaining son, who was born just four days after the death of her husband. Alex preserves her husband’s memory for a son he never met.
By doing this, she reminds her son and herself that “love never dies”.
The knowledge that love never dies is Alex’s secret to learning to live after these incredible losses. When grieving the loss of someone close to you, remember that the good days outnumber the bad ones. Let persistent love help you get through the grief without getting stuck. And remind yourself that hope is strong enough to get you through your darkest days.
