ROCKFORD, MI – Law enforcement from across the state of Michigan showed up in full force Friday, Nov. 5, to honor Kent County sheriff’s deputy David Cook, who died this week of COVID-19 complications.
The 21-year veteran of the local sheriff’s office received an emotional sendoff at his funeral procession in Rockford, where community members lined the streets to pay their respects as Cook’s casket was taken in a procession from Pederson Funeral Home to City Church, on 10 Mile Road, where his ceremony took place.
The powerful bond of law enforcement was on display Friday as dozens of officers from local, county and state police agencies stood solemnly at attention while Cook’s close family and friends arrived for the funeral.
Kent County sheriff’s deputy Aaron Brown, who was among Cook’s closest friends on the force and spoke at the funeral Friday, described the showing of area law enforcement Friday as “touching.”
“It’s an emotion I don’t know if I’ve ever felt,” Brown told MLive. “It’s just special, I don’t even know how else to say it. It’s been a very good feeling with how my department’s handled this and also other area departments just outpouring support and love during this time of tragedy.”
There’s a bond among law enforcement officers that is unique compared to other professions, Brown said. The supportive texts, Facebook messages and emails he’s received from police across the state following Cook’s death has helped get him through this difficult time.
“When one of your own dies from the police force, everybody wants to rally around the people that are hurting, even if you didn’t know them,” Brown said.
“It’s like a brotherhood, or sisterhood, so to speak, when you work for a police agency. Our job is unique, we’re going to a lot of the same kind of calls and we deal with some of the stressful situations we have to deal with, and I feel like when you when you work at a police department, it gives you a bond.”
Cook’s death hit his friends and family especially hard because it was so unexpected, Brown said. The 47-year-old was in great shape and very healthy, he explained.
Law enforcement officers from across the state salute in honor of Kent County sheriff's deputy David Cook, who died Monday, Nov. 1 of COVID-19 complications.
“The guy, he never called in sick to work. Never,” Brown said. “That’s the crazy thing, he was the healthiest guy I know. Which is probably reason why the loss of him has been very difficult because nobody, nobody imagined somebody so healthy, and in such great shape as him would die.”
COVID-19 has killed nearly 40,000 people in Michigan, according to state data. Of the 1.3 million COVID-19 cases reported in Michigan, the state’s case fatality rate is 1.9%.
Nationwide, COVID-19 has become the No. 1 killer of police officers.
Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said Tuesday she could not provide information about Cook’s vaccination status or details about his hospitalization.
RELATED: Kent County sheriff’s deputy dies from COVID-19 complications, remembered for ‘servant’s heart’
Cook was described by his colleagues as having the “heart of a servant.” He would do “anything for anyone, as long as it was something he could do,” Brown said.
“We worked together several years, and he was a very reliable partner,” Brown said. “He’s a great listener and had a lot of patience.”
Cook was last assigned to the Ada, Cascade and Grand Rapids Township area.
Brown shared some of his favorite memories of Cook during Friday’s funeral ceremony. Cook loved to watch movies, play games with his kids, watch football and play poker, his friend said.
Cook had three loves in his life, Brown said – he loved God, he loved his family, and he loved his friends.
The 47-year-old lived his life with an “all-in” mentality, Brown said, referring to Cook’s love of poker.
“He was an avid poker player, and he had a tendency to say, ‘I only have one move left’ because he’d get low on chips, and we all knew that meant he was just going to go all in with it,” Brown said. “And that’s how he lived his life. He was just an ‘all-in’ kind of guy, as a friend, as a father, as a husband.”
Cook is survived by his wife and two daughters.
The funeral ceremony at City Church had around 300 family, friends and law enforcement members in attendance.
More on MLive:
Michigan reports 2-day total of 10,094 new coronavirus cases, 90 deaths on Friday, Nov. 5
Health care industry asks Michigan for $650M to address staffing shortages worsened by COVID-19
The federal vaccine mandate will affect 2 million Michigan workers. Here’s what we know.
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