Touching Hearts From Heaven: The Lieutenant Daryl Lee Mangrum Story

When I started thinking about making a video for ~A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield~, I thought for a long time about what it should say. We rightfully honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, those who have given their lives in service to us all. But, I wanted this video to say something different. It needed to pay tribute to those men and women who go out every day and put their lives on the line for us. Regardless of their personal circumstances, in spite of the treatment they so often receive from the general public, they still go every time, every day. And when the uniform comes off, they're not finished. They make time and put forth the effort to go above and beyond in helping others. They run for Special Olympics. They work for fundraisers and charity events to raise money for others in need. They spend time working with children to help educate and influence them in an effort to guide them down the right path. How often do you see pictures of them taking children shopping for back-to-school supplies or at Christmas to buy presents that they otherwise would not have? We don't see them enough. Not because they're not always there and always doing whatever can be done. They just don't receive the attention and praise that they deserve for doing those things. I wanted this video to include images of them doing all of those things because that is a part of their lives.

Days upon days were spent searching for just the right pictures to represent the many, many pieces of an officer's life. Of course they couldn't all be used and there is no way to accurately represent what it is like for them. But, the ones chosen were meant to represent as much of what they do and who they are as was possible.

One of those pictures is this one of an officer kneeling in front of a group of children. It was decided that this particular picture needed a caption, just something that might be along the lines of what I thought he might be saying to them.

Out of the hundreds of pictures that I found of officers with children, it has to be significant that this particular photograph was chosen. Let me explain why.

Our video is not just available on Facebook. It's posted on several Law Enforcement related sites as well as on YouTube™. That’s where the following comment was posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2009:

"I love this video. It has a picture of my dad. I would like to know the name of the person who put this together. My dad has passed away due to cancer, and this was really a tribute."

I was immediately moved and after contacting the author I learned that the picture she was speaking of was this same picture.

The officer’s name was Lt. Daryl Mangrum of the Prattville, Alabama Police Department. After speaking to his daughter, Joy Mangrum Knighton, I discovered that Lt. Mangrum started the Prattville Police Department's first school relations program 10 years before he lost his battle with kidney cancer. An officer who worked with him happened to see the video and recognized Lt. Mangrum. He contacted Mrs. Knighton and told her about it. Mrs. Knighton and Lt. Mangrum's wife, Sheila, viewed the video. There had to be a Higher Power at work that orchestrated the chain of events that started with the choice of that photograph. Part of the results of that choice is echoed in Mrs. Knighton’s closing words in one of her emails.

“This video really was a tribute, in me and my mom’s eyes. It filled our heart with pride. Thank you so much again for making the video. You are touching people’s hearts.”

Understanding that we truly touched someone else’s life with this project is beyond description. But I think there’s another reason that the succession of events that started with that choice led back to me again. I think the message might be that Lt. Mangrum's story and how his life held a connection to the beneficiary of our cause needs to be told.

Lt. Daryl Lee Mangrum, Sr. (USAF, MSgt., Ret’d) was a police officer for 36 years. There were only 17 years of his life not wearing a uniform. His military service was in the United State Air Force where he served as a security policeman for 23 years. He served his country proudly and he served it well. After a faithful and dedicated life of service, he retired from the Air Force, but he wasn’t through yet. Following his retirement, he joined the Prattville, Alamaba Police Department. For 13 years, he served the Community of Prattville with the same level of dedication that he had given to his country. And he served them just as proudly and just as well.

During those thirteen years, he demonstrated his avid love for youth by developing and implementing the School/Community Relations Division at the Prattville Police Department of which he was the Supervising Lieutenant. He fought a battle every day to help children make decisions that would keep them from a life of crime. He may have never said the words aloud, but his dedication demonstrated his belief that it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Even as he fought his own personal battle with his disease daily, the kids that he helped were the reason he made it out of bed each day. His impact on their lives was made clearly evident on February 16, 2007 when Prattville High School presented him with a certificate and award, citing February 16th to be thereafter and forevermore “Daryl Mangrum Day” in honor of his being an indispensable part of their distinguished organization. This happened two years after he was diagnosed with cancer.

In his own words during an interview that was conducted in January 2008: "Three years ago, I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. My doctor told me that there is only a 4 percent survival rate, worldwide. He said I should go home, take medical retirement, and get ready to die."

Lt. Mangrum did not take that advice. Even at this difficult time in his life, he chose to keep serving others.

"When you're diagnosed with a terminal disease, you've got to have a reason to get up, and you've got to have some place to go. You can't sit home and feel sorry for yourself. When I get up in the morning and put my uniform on, I'm enjoying myself."

Lt. Mangrum, who was told he would not live to see his 50th birthday, said that it was often difficult to ignore the pain he suffered daily as he carried out his duties while taking 800 milligrams of oral chemotherapy. But, he continued to move forward and make a difference. His daughter told me that “he loved working, mentoring, and guiding the kids he came in contact with. He was a staple in his community and he always put his job first, no matter how sick he was or how bad he felt. He was working no matter what.” She further stated that his goal the last couple months of his life were to be able to get in his patrol car again. The police chief allowed him to come in every day to work making phone calls to people who had warrants on them because he knew what was in Lt. Mangrum's heart, and would not say that he could not work.

On July 3, 2008 Lt. Daryl Lee Mangrum donned his uniform for the last time. Seventeen days later, on July 20, 2008, the 53 year old native of North Carolina died peacefully at the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama in the Palliative Care Unit where their mission is it to serve patients and families experiencing life-threatening, life-limiting, or advanced illness. Lt. Mangrum’s family praised the care that he received there in his last days. To the end, his words were “I’m so blessed.” As he departed this world, he left behind a devoted wife, three children, six grandchildren, his parents, two sisters, a host of other relatives, countless friends, and a grieving city. There were many stories told of the lives he touched, the children that he reached, the difference that he made in their lives. Friends and co-workers told of the man they knew. There were three eulogies delivered at his service, each speaking to who this man was.

Autauga County District Court Judge Phillip Wood spoke of his life of selfless service to both our country and the City of Prattville. "Daryl Mangrum loved his country, he loved his community, he loved his God, and he loved his family. He was truly an officer our youth could look up to, an officer they could respect."

The Rev. Larry Burke, former pastor of Wesleyan Church of Prattville, spoke of his dedication to his career as a keeper of the peace.

"He loved his job, and he touched and encouraged so many lives," Burke said before directly addressing PPD Chief Alfred Wadsworth. "He was always so thankful for the freedom you gave him to come to work when he was able to, and that you let him park his patrol car in front of his house, even though he could no longer drive it."

And First Baptist Church pastor Dr. Travis Coleman captured the spirit of Lt. Mangrum in once sentence. "He was a cop, from the top of his head, to the bottom of his feet, there's no doubt about that.”

Lt. Mangrum spent his life taking care of others and making a difference. In his death, he is still touching hearts. Our cause benefits the American Federation of Police and Concerned Citizens, Inc. Among the many things their mission encompasses, one is to provide Christmas & birthday gifts for the children of fallen officers until age 18 at which time they are eligible for college scholarships - up to four years. There is nothing more important than our children. Lt. Mangrum understood this. He lived this. And it is our privilege and honor to know that a moment of time from his life was included in this tribute to "Those Who Wear The Shield". His memory lives on and his commitment to guiding children down the right path is evident in the one split second in time that the picture represents. The photograph was made in the blink of an eye, but the story it tells is a life of dedication and devotion. His legacy spans the distance between Heaven and Earth. And, across that bridge…he is still touching hearts. He is still making a difference. Thank you, Lt. Mangrum.

Click here to view the official video.

Written By: Peggy Parker - Administrator of the Facebook Cause
~A Tribute To Those Who Wear The Shield~
September 14, 2009