“The Phone Call NO ONE WANTS To Receive…”
By Chief Fred Maas, Interim City Manager

It is every person’s nightmare, most especially for a parent about a child. But even when it is reversed, when we learn of the death of a parent or family member, it is the phone call no one wants to receive.

On Friday, November 18, 2005, Sunny Isles Beach Police Officer Josh Newton received that call. His mother had just been killed in a car accident in deep South Dade County. Josh’s sister, 13 years of age was also in the car but survived.

As a close knit family such as we are at Sunny Isles Beach, everyone knew they needed to step up in support of Josh and his family. It made it extra difficult because in a few short days, Thanksgiving would be here; only an empty seat would signify this year where Josh’s mom used to sit.

Officer Josh Newton is one of the finest officers this agency has that serves this community of Sunny Isles Beach. On Friday, November 25, more than a dozen of his fellow officers and Command Staff traveled a great distance to Homestead for the funeral. It was incredibly attended and overwhelming as there was standing room only for this woman whom so many loved. You see, Josh Newton’s mother was only 49 when she was killed.

As a tribute to her and in honor of and respect for Officer Newton, the following was presented by Chief Maas and the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department officers at the services. May all of us hug our loved ones a little tighter, kiss our loved ones a little more gently and tell our loved ones a little more often that “we love them” this Holiday Season because tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.

“A TRIBUTE TO MOMS AND GWENDA”

They endure incredible changes to their body and endure a pain that we shall never experience or know. They take care of and nurture us from the moment that pain ends yet they never forget what it was like.

They nurse us through infancy, train us thru the toddler stages, mentor us thru school age and advise us from adolescence to adulthood.

They see us thru childhood diseases, mend our bumps and breaks, comfort our broken hearts and encourage us thru those times of disappointment and despair. And they LOVE us unconditionally, no matter how much or how many times we hurt them.

And yet, similar as they are, no one can understand completely what yours meant to you. They’re called “MOMS.” And therefore, I won’t even try to speak about what Gwenda meant to her children.
I will however tell you about how her legacy will live on thru her children and already does. And I will do that by representing the police family of Sunny Isles Beach and its officers by telling you what Josh and his family bring to us and the community he serves.
Josh brings professional attributes such as dependability, responsibility, maturity and integrity to his job. For that, Gwenda must be proud.

Josh brings human characteristics such as compassion, kindness, generosity and a true love of fellow man and the less fortunate. For that, Gwenda must be very proud.

And to his squad members, and police family, he brings a genuine love of his brother and sister officers, that has obviously been fostered within his own family and exemplified by Gwenda thru her children.

The death of a parent is difficult and painful enough without the added factors of tragedy and suddenness and untimeliness contributing towards it.

There are no words that completely remove the pain and heartache. There are no actions that completely make us recover or forget. But there is a hope that we will keep them alive and close to us by our example and actions; those actions that most closely represent what she stood for.

I never had the privilege of knowing Gwenda but I am certain she was a person of integrity, compassion, kindness, fairness and love. Because that is what she has passed on thru her children.
In closing, there is a wonderful Blessing that has been around forever: Gwenda:

May the Road Rise up to Meet You,
May the Winds Be Always at Your Back,
May the Sun Shine Warm Upon Your Face,
And the Rains Fall Gently Upon Your Fields,
And Until We Meet Again,
May God Hold You in the Palm of His Hand.

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