I’ll Never Forget Although I Wish I Could
/By: Terry (T.R.) Queen
I have told people that “police work” changes people. Many of us keep memories from the past boxed up in our minds. Those memories are put in boxes, sealed tightly up and neatly stacked away somewhere in the backs of our minds. Just a few moments ago, one of them somehow came falling out in the form of a dream.
Way back when I was a Deputy Sheriff in Preston County West Virginia in the mid 1990’s a group of young folks came to the Cheat Canyon Campground for a vacation from Livonia, Michigan. Among that group was a young girl named Thomasina Lupsor and her older brother, Tommy. This group planned to raft the popular Cheat River Canyon.
During a stupid attempt to cross the Cheat River a day or so before the raft trip, young Thomasina was swept downstream, where she drowned.
We searched the riverbanks without success for several days. I even contacted the Aviation Unit of the WVNG and brought a helicopter in to assist. Nothing prevailed. I was told that the river would only give her back when IT was ready.
The first whitewater raft trip went down the river on a Saturday morning and discovered the body in an eddy. The crew removed the body from the water and placed it on the riverbank, covered with a “space blanket”.
A few of us went down the river in a raft and recovered the body. We went to the place where the body was found and photographed the scene. We then placed it in a body bag and secured it in the front of the raft.
We had to continue downstream to the “takeout” point because that was the only way out. The smell was something that I’ll never forget although it is something that I wish that I could.
Although it’s been over 35 years ago, the sights, sounds and smells came back as vivid as though everything took place only a few hours ago.
Again in my dream, I witnessed the heartbreak of her older brother when he viewed the body of his sister. I again heard his most heartfelt and painful weeping over the loss of his sister.
I hope that this is an isolated incident in my memory retrieval process and that it’s “falling out” hasn’t triggered other memories to do the same.
So, does the job change people? I say “yes”! However, I can also say that I’ve got to do things that the average person only dreams of. Does the “good” and “bad” equal itself out? I don’t know. I guess it’s all a part of that stacked away dreaded PTSD monster?
Terry (T.R.) Queen is a 41year law enforcement veteran…
•Graduate of the 57th Basic WV State Police Academy Class of 1985
▪Past Deputy Sheriff - Harrison County & Preston County West Virginia
▪Former member of the Tygart Valley Regional Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force
▪Past member - Kingwood & Anmoore WV Police Departments
▪Chief of Police - Terra Alta/Rowlesburg/Monongah West Virginia
▪Officer West Virginia Public Service Commission - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
▪Founding Member Mountaineer Search and Rescue Group
▪Certified Firearms Expert/Instructor and co-founder of BLUE Talon Training Group https://www.bluetalonconsulting.com/
