A pair of fire trucks hoisted a giant American flag across NC 106 on Thursday morning as a procession of emergency vehicles with lights flashing passed underneath.
Lines of citizens, many holding messages of support, dotted the route from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in Franklin to Scaly Mountain Volunteer Fire Department.
Even Mother Nature, which had produced a steady rain for what seemed like two consecutive weeks, allowed the clouds to break for an hour or so.
MCSO Corporal David Head got an appropriate hero’s sendoff.
Head and his wife, Dawn, were tragically killed in a multi-vehicle accident in Clayton, Georgia, on May 23. David Head was a deputy with the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and a veteran of the United States Navy.
By all accounts, the Heads were the kind of people that the world needs more of. They loved their family, especially their children, their community and their country. They consistently gave their time and effort to help others, both in their professional and personal lives.
Since the couple’s passing, the outpouring of support from across the region has been overwhelming, according to Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland, who struggled to put into words what all of the calls, messages and community actions have meant to his department and to the Head family.
“Thank you, from the bottom of my very heavy heart,” Holland said. “Following one of the toughest weeks of my career (the community) has left me absolutely speechless and extremely grateful.”
From a prayer circle at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park in Highlands, to the dozens of law enforcement, EMS and fire departments that were represented at David Head’s celebration of life, to the hundreds of people who have donated to a fund to support the continuing education of the Head’s children – the community has come together to honor two lives lost too soon.
This week everyone should be proud being from Macon County. In a time of tragedy the community has shown its true colors.