Our Mission
Providing ultimate honor for ultimate sacrifice.
We honor the service and sacrifice of public safety heroes who give their lives in the line of duty — by caring for the loved ones they leave behind.
How We Serve
Emergency Assistance and Information
We respond to line-of-duty deaths with offers of assistance and information.
We respond as quickly as possible to line-of-duty deaths in our service area (Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri), and provide $5,000 of emergency funds and other assistance to the family (additional funds, travel, lodging, meals, etc.) as needed. We also provide essential information to the family and offer guidance to agency leaders.
Assistance with Professional Honors
Our specialized team stands ready to assist per agency request.
We maintain a specially-trained Memorial Team ready to assist agency leaders with planning and coordinating all aspects of professional honors — from the time of death through the funeral and beyond. To the degree desired by agency leaders, we take the burden off agency personnel and free them to focus on their own grief, families, and co-workers.
Ongoing Support for the Family
“A hero’s sacrifice is forever, so is that of the family.”
Following the funeral, we meet with the immediate financially dependent survivor and assess financial need. We then provide ongoing financial support according to need as we assist with obtaining benefits. We also facilitate peer support by holding social events to bring survivors together in the hope that supportive relationships will form.
National Memorial Travel and Support
We provide support & fund travel for families to national memorial services.
It is very important for families to attend the national memorial service when their hero is honored. But it can be very costly, and traveling so far from home can be very unsettling. We cover travel and lodging for all immediate survivors to attend their respective service and provide around-the-clock shuttle service and on-site support.
Education/Information
We provide informational resources and host classes on topics related to line-of-duty death.
We publish information and host free classes about topics related to line-of-duty death. Our goal is to help prepare leaders for the difficult decisions they must make in the wake of a tragedy and properly support those affected. Our classes are typically attended by chiefs and chief officers, supervisors, chaplains, honor guards, etc.
Benefits Assistance
We assist families and agencies in filing for line-of-duty death benefits.
Responding to the need, our staff has acquired significant experience with the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) and provides assistance free of charge. It is a blessing that most agency leaders have little or no experience with PSOB, so they welcome our help. As such, we file the vast majority of claims from our service area.
Latest News
EMS Provider Down: Knox, Indiana — 8/5/2023
We regretfully announce the line-of-duty death of EMT Michael Wilcox of Starke County EMS in Knox, Indiana (located approximately 30 miles southwest of South Bend). While responding to an emergency call, the ambulance EMT [...]
OFFICER DOWN: Franklin, Indiana — 8/1/2023
We regret to announce the line-of-duty death of Johnson County, Indiana, Deputy Sheriff Timothy Guyer. Deputy Guyer joined the Sheriff's Office and was sworn in on December 1st. He was currently attending the Indiana [...]
“You Were There” Newsletter Published
We are proud to launch our NEW newsletter: "You Were There." It was sent via email to our members and supporters earlier today. Others can view it HERE In this first issue, ready how [...]
Featured Events
Testimonials
“They made a huge difference in our agency… We will always be indebted for their compassion and all they gave without asking anything in return.”
“I have watched the organization work for years and have always been impressed. And when my agency suffered a line-of-duty death, they were amazing!”
“I can’t thank the Supporting Heroes staff and volunteers enough for their support after the loss of Chief Deputy Cash. They were here within hours for the Cash family, myself, and our agency. I was at a loss for what to do. They stepped in immediately and offered help and advice. This is a great organization!”
“When we experienced a line-of-duty death, I was so thankful for Supporting Heroes. They were onsite quickly and handled the logistics of the visitation and funeral – enabling me to focus on taking care of our agency and our deputy’s family. Everything was done to perfection! I am so thankful for this organization!”