PATASKALA, Ohio — It’s Lilly Disario’s first day of school.
He should be here. To help his 5-year-old fix her hair, put her shoes on the right feet and make sure her bookbag fits just right.
He should be taking pictures with the rest of the family in the front yard. Instead, all that’s here is a memory of the man, the father, the husband and the police chief, Eric Disario, who was killed in the line of duty in Kirkersville in May of 2017.
“Today is Lilly’s day,” her mother, Aryn said. “Today is Lilly’s day.”
Two days after his funeral, Disario’s daughter, Lilly, was born.
Wednesday, the baby girl he never met, started kindergarten.
Aryn Disario was Chief Disario’s wife of seven years.
“I miss my person,” she said. “My partner. My everything.”
She said to talk about him is to love him and remember who he was while making sure their daughter always knows.
“We talk about her dad all the time,” Aryn said. “Ever since she was able to point and talk she’s able to look at a picture of her daddy and know exactly who he is and she’s always been able to tell everybody exactly who he is. She’ll tell everybody he’s in heaven with God.”
Comforting knowing he’s there. Disheartening knowing he’s not here.
“And it’s another milestone my husband had to miss,” Aryn said, crying.
Every day is tough. Days like Wednesday, though, are the worst.
She knows it. And, so do they.
It’s why almost two dozen law enforcement cruisers, Wednesday morning, pulled up outside Lilly’s home: to escort a fallen brother’s daughter to her first day of school.
“It’s all for you because everybody loved your daddy,” Aryn told Lilly through teary eyes as they watched the cruisers arrive at their home.
“You ready to go to school with me,” Licking County Sheriff’s Office Det. Adam Beach asked Lilly, as he picked her up and gave her a big hug.
The agencies that were involved were Licking County Sheriff’s Office and police departments from Buckeye Lake, Hebron, Granville, Reynoldsburg, Utica, Newark and Kirkersville. There were also representatives from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the dog warden’s office and the Secret Service.
“It warmed my heart to know that everybody still remembers and everybody loves and cares for her dad and our family,” Aryn said.
Lilly was given a ride to her first day at Etna Elementary School in the back of Det. Beach’s cruiser.
She might not know why today was so special. And, that’s OK. She might not know why so many officers escorted and clapped for her as they lined the entry sidewalk to her school. And, that’s OK.
One day, she will.
She’ll understand why this was a big deal. And, she’ll understand why mom wiped away so many tears.
“He should be here,” Aryn said.