Remembering "Cheryl" - A Memorial to Inspiration
By Chief Fred Maas

Many of you already know that prior to my law enforcement career, I spent four years as a school teacher in Dade County. I was fresh out of college and was not too many years older than the very students I was teaching. We had a great relationship as did the other younger teachers who taught with me. One of those teachers was Cheryl Weiner. She was a vibrant, energetic and wonderfully compassionate human being whom the younger kids adored. We colleagues adored her also. She was very special.

Cheryl taught the young children at our school, the second graders. She had such a special way about her; it seemed like she was their daytime mom. By night, she volunteered her time with patients who had sustained spinal cord injuries or illnesses related to the spinal column. Often times, she would bring those "patients" to a school event or function. She would push them in their wheelchair, introduce them to teachers and students alike and make them feel like the "guest of honor" for that event. For many of them, it was their moment, their time in the spotlight. But Cheryl was still restless as to her career and without ever having discussed or shared our future interests, we both ended up in the police academy only classes apart. We both were training for a career in law enforcement with Miami-Dade Police.

Cheryl and I kept in touch mostly by seeing each other on calls. She was a bright, talented officer who made detective in a few short years. She was up and coming and just like her former students, everyone loved Cheryl. She was truly about others and gave so much to those around her. She ironically continued her work with spinal cord patients even as a police officer.

One evening, now about 20 years ago, Cheryl was out with some girlfriends after work having dinner. They began to drive home from the restaurant but did not know they were being targeted by a couple of robbers who would prey on female victims and rob them when they were alone. The suspects spotted Cheryl's group and not knowing she was an off duty officer began to follow. When their vehicle pulled into the condo complex, the robbers with guns made their move to rob Cheryl and her friends. Cheryl, being the professional and character she was resisted and tried to abort the robbery. She was winning her battle until one of the "punks" shot her in order to get away. The bullet pierced Cheryl's spine. Need I say more? A young, attractive, talented, vibrant educator of children and lover of life, fell limply to the ground with no control or movement of her body. In a split second, all those she had helped for years and years, pushing and lifting in and out of their wheelchairs; and NOW, she would become her own patient. The bullet severed her spinal cord and that was all there was to it. Cheryl however had even more complications as her breathing became labored and impaired. She regressed rapidly and after several days, Cheryl Weiner died.

When news of her shooting and subsequent death came to me I was too stunned to do anything. I couldn't scream, I couldn't cry, I couldn't believe. Cheryl? A heaven sent angel of compassion to the less fortunate and educator of God's littlest angels; was now gone forever? How could this be?

But that is what we do, that is what we are about and who we are. We are the thin blue line between chaos and pain and defenseless people and sometimes it means the ultimate price is paid.

At this year's police memorial, 2004, when Cheryl's picture appeared on the screen and her name was read on the roll call of honor and the torch was lit in her honor; I sat chilly and stunned and reflective about the young woman whom I learned to admire and love as a colleague in teaching and law enforcement. She was and is an inspiration to carry on. Cheryl never backed down, never quit and never complained. She loved her job and her people. And this is the first time, more than 20 years later that I have been able to talk about and remember Cheryl.. God Bless America and God Bless and Protect our Sunny Isles Officers; Men and Women..


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