LAND O' LAKES, Fla. -- While two law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in Orlando on Monday there are also several Bay area families of fallen law enforcement officers who know the horrible feeling of loss too. Stephanie Barnes of Land O' Lakes is using her pain to pay it forward.
Barnes says, "You know every time I hear -- visions of losing my brother comes back -- but for me it's more concern for the family."
On Jan. 24, 2011, her big brother St. Petersburg Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz as well as Sgt. Tom Baitinger were shot to death while trying to make an arrest. Barnes says, "One day you're with them -- or even that morning you're with them or maybe you just got off the phone with them and all of a sudden they're gone. It's just a very difficult thing to go through."
But Barnes says organizations like the Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association and West Central Florida Concerns of Police Survivors helped her family immensely. Now on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day she's giving back to the organizations for all they've done for her and her family. She explains what the organizations have done for her family, "With counseling aspects and just being able to cope - learning how to cope with the tragedy."
Barnes is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her online LuLaRoe business over the next 24 hours to the charities to help other families of law enforcement. The fundraiser starts at 6 p.m. Monday and runs until Tuesday at 6 p.m. She adds, "I want to be able to bless people. I want to be able to give back especially to the organizations that have meant so much to me and my family through the time of losing Jeff."
She hopes the donations never need to be used but in the event of tragedy she says the services they provide are life changing. Barnes adds, "We always want to make sure that if and when unfortunately the next one happens we have that."
If you'd like to take part in the fundraiser click here.
