On October 17, 2009, ABC’s popular television series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, travelled to Woodlawn, Tennessee, to give Trina Scott and her three daughters the good news that their trouble-ridden home would be rebuilt. Trina Scott lost her husband, Clarksville Police Officer David Scott, on June 7, 2002, in an automobile accident while pursuing robbery suspects. Overwhelmed with grief, Trina and her children turned to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), which helps survivors of fallen officers rebuild their shattered lives through grief retreats, counseling, and support from other survivors. Trina now devotes her free time to C.O.P.S. and has served as the East and Middle Tennessee C.O.P.S. Chapter President since 2003. “At C.O.P.S. events, we can laugh and cry and talk openly about our grief. When we are with other survivors, we know we’re with family….our C.O.P.S. family,” Trina said of the C.O.P.S. organization.
Hundreds of construction workers and volunteers worked tirelessly around the clock for the big reveal of the Scott Family’s new home on October 23, 2009. Among those volunteers were 63 survivors from the C.O.P.S. family. C.O.P.S. members drove from Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee to share this joyous event with the Scott Family.
The episode featuring the Scott Family will air Sunday, December 6 on ABC. Check your local listing for times.
About C.O.P.S.:
Since 1984 Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) mission has been to “rebuild shattered lives” of the surviving family members and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. C.O.P.S. helps the officers’ survivors by providing emotional support and healing programs needed to cope with a sudden, violent death. C.O.P.S. is a national organization with 50 chapters throughout the United States. C.O.P.S. is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization. The national membership includes 15,000 surviving families and, unfortunately, that membership continues to grow as 140-160 law enforcement officers are killed every year in the line of duty.
