For the family of Deputy Andres “Andy” Lahera, a long and brutal chapter ended this week in Washington, D.C., as his name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during National Police Week.
His relatives stood at the wall while the inscription was revealed, a moment that formally tied his story to the national record of fallen officers after a fight that began when Lahera was struck while directing traffic in 2023 and continued through more than two years of medical care before his death.
As reported by Tampa Bay 28, Lahera’s widow Michelle and their sons traveled to the nation’s capital to watch his name being etched into the granite. Michelle said seeing the inscription “made everything feel more real” and added, “He deserves it and so much more.” She and the boys told reporters that support from Citrus County and beyond has kept coming long after Andy’s death…