It's been one year since Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Overall was struck and killed while trying to stop a police chase on Thanksgiving morning. Eric, a 22-year veteran of the department, was just 50 years old when he died.
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We sat down with his son, 21-year-old Ken Overall, to hear more about his father. Police say he was intentionally run over by 22-year-old Christopher Berak, who sped through stop sticks and hit him. Ken thinks more about the young man's family, who, like them, lost a loved one that day.
The tragedy is what created the mantra to never quit. Ken recalls his dad talking about a tough childhood and then losing his other son to suicide during Ken’s senior year in high school. He learned from his dad to push through the tough moments as he’s doing now
It’s a mantra adopted not only by his son but a whole community. A year later, every county patrol car has a never quit sticker and a billboard in his honor is up in Goodrich.
Deputy Overall made a difference and touched lives everywhere he went; at school, in the community, and even at traffic stops. That unwavering devotion to service lives on in his son who always wanted to be a cop like his dad, but is now training to be a firefighter and paramedic
Deputy’s overall’s name has been added to the Michigan fallen heroes memorial. Flags at the Sheriff's Office and county buildings will be at half-staff for a week. The sheriff says it’s important to never forget their sacrifice.
And while he has big shoes to fill there’s no doubt deputy overall is looking down on his son with a sense of pride and his message to carry on.
