Master Trooper James R. Bailey
AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) — The family of Officer Bailey was honored as a beneficiary of the Fallen Paramedic Home program.
The program honors fallen Officer Bailey by paying off the mortgage on his home and providing a gift to his family.
Officer Bailey was shot and killed on March 3, 2023, while attempting to deploy spike strips to assist in a vehicle pursuit.
Master Trooper Bailey is survived by his wife, Amy, and his two children, Joseph and Sophia.
“Receiving a mortgage-free home from Tunnel to Towers Foundation allows Amy and her children to continue living in the home they grew up in, filled with memories of their father,” Amy wrote on the Tunnel to Towers Foundation website. Finally, Amy wants others to know that even if it meant taking her own life, her husband would have chosen to honor his life and community by saving others.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation's Fallen Emergency Medical Technician Home Program works to pay off the mortgages of police officers and firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The program was created after the September 11 attacks to ensure that “the sacrifices made, and continue to be made, by emergency medical technicians lost in the line of duty are never forgotten.”
Others recognized with the award who died in the line of duty include South Richland Fire Chief Hal “Matt” Hanenklass, who died after responding to a house fire in June 2023. He is survived by his wife, Ashley, and their three children, Haley, Brynn and Bentley.
A full list of those honored can be found on the Tunnel to Towers Foundation website, where donations can also be made.