ORLANDO, Fla. – A sign designating part of Kirkman Road in Orlando was unveiled Wednesday, honoring the legacy of Officer Kevin Valencia, who was killed in the line of duty.
Valencia died in March 2021 after suffering critical injuries in 2018 when he was shot while responding to a domestic violence call.
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“It’s a terrible tragedy for the department and this way his legacy lives on. It’s very important to the department, very important to his family, that we keep his memory alive,” Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said last September when the state legislature approved the change.
Meghan Valencia, Valencia’s wife, said three years after her husband’s death, the pain is still strong.
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“There’s certainly wounds that don’t heal and unfortunately, this is just one of them,” said Valencia. “Those tears are always at the surface, no matter what.”
“Officer Kevin Valencia Memorial Highway” is near the apartment complex where the standoff happened in 2018. Valencia was shot by the suspect, who later killed himself and four children.
The renaming was proposed by several elected leaders from Central Florida, including State Sen. Geraldine Thompson, State Rep. Bruce Antone, and State Rep. Rita Harris.
“I can’t even put into words how much it means to me because to know my husband’s name is going to continue to live on,” Valencia said. “His legacy, what he did, and what being a police officer meant to him will continue to live on.”
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