SWAT TEAM PASSES THE TORCH FOR FRIEND REMEMBRANCE: LAPD HONORS FALLEN COMRADE AT EVENT.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer With about 30 LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. SWAT members around him, Matt Simmons took a torch and ran the final mile of the Los Angeles Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon is an annual marathon held in Los Angeles, California since 1986. It was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. The race starts at about 8:15AM and runs through Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, the Crenshaw district, and . Matt is a sprinter, not a distance runner distance runner n. A runner who competes in distance races. , but he was pushed through the streets of downtown by cheers, inspirational in·spi·ra·tion·al adj. 1. Of or relating to inspiration. 2. Providing or intended to convey inspiration. 3. Resulting from inspiration. messages like "keep your head up" and well wishes. He ran the final leg of a relay celebrating his dad's life with 30 men he calls uncles. Matt is the 15-year-old son of LAPD officer Randal Simmons, who was shot and killed by a gunman in Winnetka last month. Simmons' colleagues honored him by lighting the torch at the start of the marathon and passing it between the hands of 30 members of the SWAT team, culminating with Matt. "It meant a lot to honor him," Matt said. "It was a privilege. I'm sure my father would've been very happy." Randal, 51, once did the L.A. Marathon by pushing a quadriplegic quadriplegic /quad·ri·ple·gic/ (-ple´jik) 1. of, pertaining to, or characterized by quadriplegia. 2. an individual with quadriplegia. in a wheelchair all 26.2 miles. He didn't like to run much, Matt said, but he did it to stay healthy. Matt, a sophomore at Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance, spent the morning at a football combine at the Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center before he anchored the marathon relay. Randal's wife, Lisa, and daughter, Gabrielle, were at the finish line. Afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here , Gabrielle held a framed shadow box with a picture of Simmons and a medal for completing the marathon. "I know a lot of people cared," Gabrielle said. Members of the Simmons family, friends and relay runners wore white T-shirts which had a picture of him on the back. Every mile, a new officer took the torch to honor Simmons. Simmons' mother, Constance, called her son her "Gentle Giant," a nickname she gave him after his death. His wife said he's become an icon. To others, he was friend, mentor and LAPD partner. SWAT team officer James Hart James Hart, Jim Hart, or Jimmy Hart may refer to:
"It was very emotional," Hart said. "When we made our way downtown, the accolades were overwhelming. We appreciate the citizens and good people of this city." SWAT officer James Veenstra, who was shot in the jaw by the same gunman that killed Simmons, thanked everyone for cards, encouragement and prayers. His wife, LAPD captain Michelle Veenstra, stood by his side as he made a statement. "The healing process couldn't happen without it," Veenstra said. "I'll try to send out thank yous, but I'll probably miss some folks. To those who bolstered us up in a hard time, we appreciate it, and we're indebted in·debt·ed adj. Morally, socially, or legally obligated to another; beholden. [Middle English endetted, from Old French endette, past participle of endetter, to oblige to them." jill.painter@dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) LAPD SWAT officers carry a torch in memory of Randal Simmons, who was killed last month. (2) Officers who participated in Sunday's marathon wore shirts with a picture of Randal Simmons that read "Pass the Torch." Gene BlevinsSpecial to the Daily News |
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