Trooper Adam Aaron started the July 13 post by saying, “In the world we live in today with so much hate for Law Enforcement, I can't help but think, 'What if that was me lying in that casket?'”
It’s a sentiment he says is echoed among police officers across the country after the death of five officers in Dallas and three more in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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“I can tell you, the thought of not being able to come home safely to my family haunts me regularly,” he says in the post.
In the video, Aaron, the father of two young girls, addresses each member of his family, apologizing to each one. It’s the message he says he wants them to hear if he’s killed in the line of duty.
“To my wife, I’m sorry for all the lonely nights. I’m sorry for all the nights I couldn’t hold you close and I couldn’t tell you I love you,” he says.
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“To my kids, I’m sorry for getting irritated when y’all would crawl all over me simply because you were happy to see me. I’m sorry for not going outside and playing with you nearly enough because I was too tired from working all night,” he continues. “Please forgive me.”
He goes on to apologize to his parents, his grandparents, his extended family and his friends.
He then leaves a message to “the young man I pulled over tonight.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t have met you sooner. I’m sorry I couldn’t have made a positive difference in your life,” he says.
He ends the video by telling the young man, “I forgive you.”
In his post, Aaron says, “This is what I feel most Police Officers would say if he or she was given the chance to record their final message. Please share but more importantly PLEASE FORGIVE!!!”
Aaron told WSB-TV that he had to re-record the video more than two dozen times because he kept getting choked up and "(I) still wasn't 100 percent successful."
He says if his video can help change the way just one person looks at police officers, then it was a success.
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