Family of fallen Nash deputy presented with memorial chair
A Nash County deputy who died while in the line of duty was honored Tuesday night.
Members of Saving a Hero’s Place presented the family of 26-year-old Jared Allison with a custom-made chair.
Allison died while trying to stop a speeding motorcycle. During his pursuit, his patrol car collided with another car and flipped on U.S. Highway 301 in Rocky Mount. The collision ejected Allison out the passenger side window.
Allison’s mother, Angela McClellan, said she was overcome with a range of emotions when organizers presented her with the honor chair.
“With him not being here, it helps me feel like there’s still a piece of him here,” McClellan said.
McClellan hugged every deputy in the room. She said it’s her way of saying thank you.
The chair is the latest act to honor Allison. In February, his family founded a scholarship for Nash County high school seniors planning attending any college with majors in the public safety field, such as law enforcement, fire service, EMS or nursing.
Saving a Hero's Place, a Texas-based organization founded in 2013, builds custom chairs for other fallen law enforcement officers around the country.
Allison’s chair is the 256th chair the organization has made.
“The honor chair is placed in the room as a reminder that even though they’re not there physically, the officer will always be there with you,” said Tommy Capell, founder of Saving a Hero’s Place. “It’s an honor for us to be able to do this."
McClellan said the memorial was meaningful, inspiring and bittersweet.
“[It’s] very much appreciated, I just hate that it’s so many chairs," she said. "[It's] certainly are a wonderful way to honor Jared and other fallen law enforcement officers."
