By Gabriella Canales
Victoria Advocate, Texas
EDNA, Texas — Trey Ganem Designs is donating custom caskets to the Baton Rouge, La., officers killed in the line of duty on Sunday.
The caskets were designed for Cpl. Montrell L. Jackson, 32, and Patrol Officer Matthew Gerald, 41, both of of the Baton Rouge Police Department and Deputy Sheriff Brad Garafola, 45, of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department.
Trey Ganem, artist and owner, said he decided to offer the caskets after seeing coverage of the shootings on the news. Ganem identified with the victims because he used to work for the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office about 19 years ago.
“Being in law enforcement, I know what it’s about. We always worry about making it home to our families,” he said.
Tiffany Perez, personal assistant to Ganem, said she helped with the initial correspondence with the families.
“Every time you do it, it is heart-wrenching because you know they are suffering,” she said.
Perez said she contacted the police and sheriff departments of Baton Rouge to let them know Ganem wanted to donate three full custom designed caskets.
Tanya Jones, Percy Sledge’s daughter, tagged several people in a Facebook conversation that Ganem was offering to do the caskets and word got out. Ganem designed Sledge’s casket in April 2015.
Officer Jackson’s wife responded that she would talk, but needed time. Jackson’s brother called, gave the information and Ganem began the caskets, Perez said.
“I know this is going to mean a lot to the families,” she said.
Ganem said he was inspired during the coverage of the Dallas officer shootings to design a casket to commemorate law enforcement.
The top of the casket features a silver America flag with a blue stripe. The side handles are blue.
He used this design as the base for each of the three caskets.
“Each one is individual, but so much alike,” said Ganem.
Each casket will feature a patch, symbols of significance and a personalized cap panel that will go on the inside of the casket for the families to keep, said Perez.
Ganem said the caskets represent family, military, law enforcement, marriage.
All three families chose the same design without knowing it and several common elements, Perez said.
Garafola will be cremated, but his family had a casket created for the memorial service. The family will donate the casket back to the company to be given to another fallen officer, Ganem said.
Ganem said designing the caskets were nervewracking because he will be able to represent the fallen officers all the way to Louisiana.
Before the caskets were loaded onto a trailer on Wednesday, a prayer over the caskets. Area law enforcement officers and members of the public attended.
Edna Police Chief Clinton Wooldridge who came after receiving Ganem’s invitation said he wanted to show his support.
Showing respect to one another is a message the community needs at this time as a reminder of peace and harmony, he said.
“Ganem is a special guy and this is a special thing that he does for people,” Wooldridge said.
Ganem said he feels humbled after receiving a service pin from Goliad law enforcement for his work.
“It touches me that officers brought me a medal to hang on the wall. A duty valor, honor service, something that not anyone gets,” he said.
A procession will travel to Baton Rouge to deliver the caskets, Ganem said.
“The people in law enforcement are family, they are all brothers,” he said explaining why the families wanted the caskets to travel together.
When Ganem arrives at Baton Rouge, he wishes to give the families an additional gift.
“I just want to hug them when I get there,” Ganem said.
Copyright 2016 Victoria Advocate