KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
—
Among the crowd of those present to pay their respects to Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming on Monday afternoon was Michael Hoffman, the father of firefighter paramedic Graham Hoffman, who was also killed in the line of duty earlier this year.
Hoffman said he wanted to attend the procession along 7th Street Trafficway to pay his respects because his family knows what it’s like to deal with a loss of this magnitude.
He wore a T-shirt with Hoffman’s name and number on it, along with a necklace with his son’s face on it.
He brought a flag of his own, which he held as cars passed in Monday’s procession.
Hoffman wasn’t the only attendee dealing with grief, which he said is still taking a toll.
“I lost my son a couple years ago, and I know the feeling,” said Cynthia Timms.
Timms said Ming grew up in the same area where her family has lived for decades.
“I would see him, his father out there throwing the football to him,” Timms said. “I said, ‘One day them little boys is going to be something.’”
Procession attendees spanned a wide range of ages and professions.
Unified Government Mayor/CEO Tyrone Garner and other UG staff observed the procession Monday.
Tiera Brooks attended both the funeral and the procession.
“It was beautiful,” Brooks said about the funeral. “I didn’t really want to cry, I just wanted it to be a celebration of life.”
Brooks' mother knew Deputy Ming well.
But even without knowing him, his reputation spoke for itself.
“I could tell through the community of everyone who came out for him, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, he meant a lot,’” Brooks said.
Beyond the "thanks" and notes, there’s a message Timms wants people to leave with going forward.
“I would want people to have more compassion and more love and just stop the violence,” Timms said.
—