LCC HEARTS OF MERCY & COMPASSION GIVEN TO MICHIGAN COMMUNITY MOURNING SLAIN DEPUTY

Hearts of Mercy & Compassion staff traveled to Oakland County, Michigan, this week for Deputy Bradley Reckling's funeral, which was attended by almost 2,000 first responders from the Midwest and as far as Los Angeles, California. 

“It was deeply moving to witness the outpouring of love and respect,” said Sarah Sekki, director of HMC, who brought a heart and cross for the service and later delivered hearts to first responders who knew Reckling. “They gathered, not just to mourn his tragic loss in the line of duty, but to celebrate his life and to support his devastated family.” Deputy Reckling’s wife and three young girls, with another daughter on the way, survive him.

LCC worked in collaboration with Rev. Jerry Corbett from St. Paul’s Community Church in Pontiac, Michigan. Heartfelt messages of gratitude, admiration, and love, penned by both the community members and fellow first responders, filled 3 Hearts of Mercy & Compassion.

Rev. Corbett, a military police veteran himself, spoke fervently about the ministry of compassion unfolding before him. He was present with the grieving as the Holy Spirit led him to encounter numerous officers who needed encouragement or prayer. A processional of first responders commenced to the sound of bagpipes and continued for over an hour into the church.

And yet, God had more in store for the HMC team.

While serving at the funeral, we discovered that the Rochester Hills splash pad shooting, which injured 9 people about two weeks earlier, had occurred just 10 minutes away. Therefore, the next day we visited and extended Hearts of gratitude to the first responders involved in that incident.

The next day, Rev. Corbett and the HMC staff were joined by Rev. Hile from Epic Lutheran Church in Shelby Township, the closest church to the splash pad incident, and Rev. Canion from Living Water Lutheran Church in Whitmore Lake, who serves as a local police chaplain. HMC staff presented another heart in honor of Deputy Reckling to his unit at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

The contingent also visited Station 2, home to the Fire Department and EMS teams who were the first responders at the splash pad scene. While discussing the events of that difficult day, the first responders requested prayers for peace. “It's evident that this region of Michigan has endured a series of challenging events in quick succession, leaving little time for healing,” Sekki said. “There is a palpable need for recovery and rest among the community members and emergency personnel who have been deeply affected by these incidents.”

Afterward, the HMC team proceeded to the Oakland County complex, housing the 911 dispatch center, where the group was warmly welcomed. The first responders in the 911 dispatch are tirelessly handling calls and serving the large county. During their brief respites, the team expressed heartfelt gratitude to each of them.

As the team was leaving, a local captain stopped the group. “He explained that they rarely receive expressions of gratitude, and each time they do, they respond in the same manner,” Sekki said. “He wanted to ensure that we received proper thanks for our gestures. He was deeply moved by the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion ministry that weekend, and he was visibly emotional. God is clearly working in a powerful way with HMC!”

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