Fate.....

Fate has a way of bringing people together or to cross paths for one reason or another. Such is the case with me and BSO Deputy Wengert. Chance would have me at an event in Cooper City in Feb. 2007 where he and his K9 partner Oozi were doing a demonstration. I took a few photos and introduced myself after the demonstration was over. I gave him a business card and told him to send me an e-mail and I would send him the photos that I took. Just my own way of saying thank you to an officer that puts his life at risk every time he starts his shift, so that the rest of us can feel relatively safe.
Our paths continued to cross over the past year and half, and I always looked forward to saying hello to Dept. Wengert and photographing his dog during any demonstration they were doing. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. I got a little preferential treatment during the demos, so that I could get good angles to shoot from or a heads up on exactly what they were going to do. He was always really happy to get the photos of his dog in action.
July 17th, things changed. Dept. Wengert was part of a chase that started in Broawrd county and ended in Dade. The bad guy (who doesn't deserve any recognition) ended up stopping at a hospital in Miami, where he fired at police. Oozi was released to stop the suspect and in the process was shot and died later at a animal hospital.

I received an e-mail from Dept. Wengert asking about the last series of photos I had taken. I had been busy with other things and had forgotten to send them to him. I quickly worked them up, loaded them up on my site and sent him a reply with a link to pick up the files. He replied as kindly as he always had, and asked if I had read the news about Oozi. I had heard about the BSO K9 being shot, but when I first read the news they had not released any information. I was sad to hear that Dept. Wengert had lost his dog in the line of duty.

The memorial services were on July 23, and all the pictures I had previously given him were used in a slideshow. He thanked me again, and said that all the pictures were excellent and I had no idea ho much the pictures meant to him.

It is not often that something as simple as a photograph can mean so much to someone. I can honestly say that reading about Oozi death left me with a heavy heart for most of the day. I offer my deepest condolences to Dept. Wengert on the loss of his K9 partner and friend, and to his family for the loss of a very loved pet.