The Fort Worth community came together Sunday to remember fallen police officer Patrick Zamarripa -- one of the five officers killed four years ago in the Dallas ambush.
The highlight of the gathering was the first look at a huge mural created by a local artist and friend of Zamarripa.
Patrick Zamarripa's mother Valerie said the idea of the mural first started three weeks ago with a new tattoo of her son.
“With all the ugliness in the world, and all the problems that we’re dealing with, we need something positive in our life,” she said.
Artist Ernesto Ortiz, a childhood friend of Patrick's, was behind Valerie’s ink.
Sunday, he painted on a bigger canvas, outside Straight Edge Barbershop in Fort Worth, where Patrick used to get haircuts.
“I have mixed emotions. I’m happy to be doing this, but at the same time I’m going to be replaying things that I’ve experienced with him,” Ortiz said.
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Valerie Zamarripa said the pain of losing her son hasn’t dimmed.
“Because you know he’s not coming back, and the reality is setting in. And then with all the ugliness going on with our police and first responders, it hurts my heart, it really does. He wouldn’t want it that way,” she said.
Sometimes art can ease heartache.
Just down the street is a mural honoring Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen.
Valerie said she was proud her son’s legacy will live on through his mural and the memories it creates.
“This event wasn’t supposed to be this big, but then everybody started hearing about it, saying, ‘Hey, can we be part of it? We’re Patrick’s friends.' They’re not just friends, everyone here is family,” Zamarripa said.
Sunday’s event was held just a few blocks away from where Patrick grew up.
It ended with a vigil attended by family, friends and anyone who wanted to honor him.
