"A 21-year veteran of the police force took his own life inside a Baltimore County high school Monday......according to the Baltimore County police, the school resource officer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his office at Eastern Tech High School in Essex. Authorities have identified him as Officer Joseph Comegna" announced the headlines from the article I read.
Suddenly my day fades away, as I sit here and think about you, Officer Comegna.
You were facing the pain of something so much deeper and troubling, carrying a load that the rest of us can only imagine perhaps, until you saw no more light and felt that your end was here.
I'm so terribly sorry you felt alone.
I'm heartbroken to think of your family and loved ones, wondering if you had parents still in your life, a wife or a child, or siblings.
The fact that you had likely faced more in your years of service means you must have seen things beyond the imagination of most, and perhaps the memories began to be too great a burden to bear.
Maybe you felt the stinging gaze of the public, eager to film your actions and pass judgement, or perhaps it was the continual and critical viewpoints from the press and media as they searched for their next headline or news story.
It could have a recent situation that became the final straw for you I guess, an event or something which ultimately served to make your decision.
I wonder if your suffering was noticed and seen, or if you hid it from everyone even those close to you, or if you had suddenly and unexpectedly received notice of bad news or pending health problems.
I wonder if help was available, without judgement, and if hands of kindness had been extended in attempts to ease your pain.
I wonder if we as a society are to blame, by placing a load that would cripple anyone, upon each task and choice and action you carried out.
I wonder if the culture of "shaking it off" or a resistance towards help is to blame.
I can't help but think of all the ways in which we might have failed you, and today as I sit here there is a deep sadness inside me, as I grieve the loss of your life. I can't ever know what took place yesterday in Essex, Maryland, but I'm heartbroken for this ending.
I hope you are finally now at peace, Officer Joseph Comegna. I'm not sure anyone will read this but just in case they do, I'm going to post these graphics below in hopes they may encourage someone else to reach out.
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