by Chris Conte
SMYRNA, Tenn. - We often measure the way one lived by the way they are remembered when they die, which is why Jennifer Schoon knew how hard Wednesday afternoon would be.
"When it hits this close to home, it shocked everybody," Jennifer said.
But for as hard as this day was for her and her four girls, Jennifer knew it would be even tougher for her husband Officer Gary Schoon.
"He was definitely my buddy," Officer Schoon said.
Gary Schoon didn't just lose his buddy on Monday but the brain tumor also took away his partner of nearly nine years.
"It was a very bad couple of days, the department gave me some time off," he said about the whole ordeal.
Gary's partner, Officer Rowban, was a dedicated public servant, loyal friend, nine-year veteran of the Smryna Police Department and also just happened to be a dog. The two have been inseparable since they first met 12 years ago.
"I spent a lot of time with him and it definitely feels like losing someone extremely close to you," Gary explained.
There's a bond these two shared that most of us will probably never understand.
"There's a piece of him missing," Jennifer said about the loss.
That bond is perhaps that's what the Police Chief was thinking about Wednesday, when he presented Gary Schoon's family with a new puppy to try and help fill the void Rowban leaves behind.
"The new dog definitely helps," Gary added.
It's too early for Gary to tell if this new puppy will join the force but if he does, he'll have a lot to live up to.
"I miss him a lot, I'm always gonna miss him," said officer Schoon.
