Residents gather at procession to pay tribute to Sgt. Elio Diaz

Reporter: Amy Galo, Corey Lazar
Published: Updated:

WINK News spent the day along the procession route for Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sgt. Elio Diaz and talked with people who wanted to let us know what Diaz meant to them.

Jeff Alfieri, a Charlotte County resident, said, “God bless the guys that do this and the ladies that do this job; it’s very commendable.”

He and Debbie Alfieri are just two of hundreds of people who gathered across Charlotte County Friday to say goodbye to Diaz.

Debbie said, “Everything we’ve heard about him and his family was he was just so dedicated to the people of this county and his job and his family, and we just felt compelled to be here to pay our respects.”

They spent the morning watching his memorial service. Total strangers, moved by his tragic loss.

“I’ve been following it all week, and I told myself I wanted to be here for the procession, so I kind of seen where the route was going,” Jeff said.

And they waited hours on the side of Kings Highway because missing this just wasn’t an option.

“We wanted to be here in time to express our condolences to the family. To watch. To pay our respects,” the Alfieris said.

And to honor the legacy of a hardworking officer, caring friend, husband and father.

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