Pins honor those who lost their lives in the line of duty
For the past 31 years, on the first Friday in May, commemorative pins are given to guests at the annual Fallen Heroes Day ceremony held at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.
The ceremony honors police and correctional officers, firefighters, and emergency medical and rescue personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The pins are especially meaningful and important to their survivors, as a symbol of their loss and a tribute to their memory.
The pins, 1200 of which are produced each year, are collected and cherished by many family members of those who were lost.
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- William Renshaw wears a vest with every pin from Fallen Heroes Day in honor of his brother-in-law, Henry Rayner Jr., who was killed in the line of duty and was honored in the first Fallen Heroes ceremony in 1984. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- William Renshaw has saved every pin from Fallen Heroes Day in honor of his brother-in-law, Henry Rayner Jr., a Baltimore County firefighter who was killed in the line of duty and was honored in the first Fallen Heroes ceremony in 1986. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- The 2016 Fallen Heroes Day pin. It belongs to Karen Nizer, a retired Baltimore County police officer. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Olivia Lockett, 12, is a 6th grader at St. Stephen School in Kingsville. She will be singing the National Anthem at the Fallen Heroes Memorial ceremony on May 6. She is the great granddaughter of Baltimore city firefighter James Gallagher, who was killed in the line of duty in 1961. He will be honored at the ceremony. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Karen Nizer, a retired Baltimore County police officer, holds her collection of Fallen Heroes Medals. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Evelyn Rayner, mother of Henry Rayner, who was a Baltimore County firefighter killed in the line of duty in 1986, holds his Fallen Heroes pin. Henry was honored in the first Fallen Heroes ceremony. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Evelyn Rayner, mother of Henry Rayner, who was a Baltimore county firefighter killed in the line of duty in 1986, holds a statuette she purchased to honor him. Henry was honored in the first Fallen Heroes ceremony. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Sergeant Christopher Crespo of the Harford County Sheriff’s department holds 2016 commemorative pins. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Casey Brooks, 25, who is the daughter of Corporal Courtney Brooks, holds his Fallen Heroes Day pin near a tattoo of his badge number. Her father was a 13 year veteran of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police who was killed in the line of duty on New Year’s Eve in 2008. This is the commemorative pin that was made in his honor for the Fallen Heroes Ceremony. She was 17 when he died. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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- Casey Brooks, 25, who is the daughter of Corporal Courtney Brooks, holds his Fallen Heroes Day pin. Her father was a 13-year veteran of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police who was killed in the line of duty on New Year’s Eve in 2008. This is the commemorative pin that was made in his honor for the Fallen Heroes Ceremony. She was 17 when he died. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
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