FRANKLIN
They had met at the Suffolk YMCA in passing, but until Franklin Cpl. Al Herdeg ended up hospitalized after a fall, Suffolk Sgt. Jeffrey Lurie had never put together who his fellow law enforcement officer was.

Now, knowing that Herdeg has suffered a tragic accident that might have a serious effect, Lurie set up a GoFundMe account to help with some of the expenses that the single father of three boys will have when he gets out of the hospital.

“For a police officer, we take such a risk at work that for something to happen in such an innocent event is just tragic,” Lurie said. “To have something like this while someone is putting up Christmas lights, a good event, is a tragedy.”

Lurie said it’s a small world, as far as how he had put together that he had met Herdeg in acquaintance. Herdeg’s son, Albert Jr., works at the YMCA in Suffolk, and Lurie regularly volunteered there as part of an officer community relations program, Officer Friendly.

“It had come up in conversation that his father worked for the Franklin Police Department,” Lurie said. “And I had met Al in passing, but it did not click who he was until I saw his name on paper.

“I said, ‘Hey, that’s his dad. He’s a great kid, and it seems like Al’s morals have definitely been passed own to his children.’”

Besides, Lurie said that law enforcement officers are a family of sorts.

“I know several Franklin Police officers, and I know that the Franklin Police Department are all a great group of hard-working guys,” said Lurie, who plans to officially meet the Franklin corporal after the holidays. “They are dedicated to what they do, they love their community, and they are family. That’s what it is all about, looking out for one another and being a family — the brotherhood in blue.”

The law enforcement community has come together, and they’ve gotten support from all over the country. He said the public has also been very supportive.

“It is just great to see people coming together to support in time of need,” Lurie said. “We know our communities are made up of good people. As cliché as it sounds, that’s why we get into this job — to serve and protect. We are there because we want to help people and make our communities better.”

He said now, the law enforcement community is asking for support for one of their brothers.

“To be a single father, he and his family definitely need the support,” Lurie said. “We are people just like everybody else. We get dressed and lace up our boots every morning, kiss our family, and go to work.”

Before the accident, Herdeg’s day-to-day life expenses were tough enough, Franklin Police Chief Phil Hardison said in a previous release, but now he’s faced with having to remodel his home to make it wheelchair-accessible, providing transportation and meeting the costs of medical care.

Hardison and Lurie both said anyone who can assist Herdeg in his time of need would be greatly appreciated. To donate online, visit www.gofundme.com/cplherdeg/. There is also a fund set up at Bronco Federal Credit Union in Herdeg’s name.

Franklin’s Cpl. Joshua Butts is FPD’s agency liaison coordinating fund raising efforts. He can be reached at jbutts@franklinpolice.org or by phone at 562-8575.