Related video: Remembering Sergeant Corey Maynard one year after his passing
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WOWK) – The family of a West Virginia State Trooper killed in the line of duty is receiving assistance from an organization aimed at easing the financial burden on the families of fallen emergency personnel.
The Tunnels to Towers organization paid off the mortgage on WVSP Sergeant Corey Maynard's family home.
Maynard was ambushed and shot while responding to a report of a shooting in the area of Beech Creek Road in Mingo County on June 2, 2023. Maynard and the initial shooting victim were rushed from the scene for treatment as an hours-long manhunt for the suspect began.
Maynard died from his injuries later that day. The suspect was arrested around 11:00 p.m.
Remembering Sergeant Corey Maynard: One Year After His Death
Sergeant Maynard began his police career at the West Virginia State Police Academy in 2007. He served his community for 15 years and was the recipient of the State Police Officer of the Year award in 2012 and the Lifesaver award in 2015. Sergeant Maynard is remembered as a hero by his friends, agencies and West Virginia officials.
Maynard's widow said his father wanted to give back to the community.
“Corey wanted to become a state trooper to play a bigger role in his community and his state. He wanted to make a difference and help people,” said Sergeant Maynard's widow, Rachel Maynard.
In addition to his wife Rachel, Sergeant Maynard is survived by his two children, Zoe and Finnegan, and Rachel said being mortgage-free had eased her financial burden and allowed her to spend more time with her children.
Listen: Sergeant Corey Maynard's end-of-shift call
“Tunnels to Towers has had a huge impact on our family,” says Rachel. “I'm now a single mother and the foundation's support has allowed me to work less and still be able to attend my children's activities and school events.”
Tunnels to Towers Foundation was founded after the tragedies of 9/11 with the mission of helping Gold Star and deceased first responders families and their young children continue to live in their homes without taking out a mortgage. The Foundation also builds specially adapted smart homes for veterans and first responders who have been seriously injured in the line of duty.
“Every day, the families of our brave first responders watch their loved ones depart not knowing if they'll be able to return home at the end of the day,” said Frank Schiller, chairman and CEO of Tunnels to Towers. “When tragedy strikes and a hero like Sergeant Maynard can't return home, Tunnels to Towers ensures his family can remain in the home they shared without the burden of a mortgage.”