Autistic young man mourns loss of friends in blue
LAKEWOOD, Wash. -- To Joshua Cribb, Lakewood Police Officer Ronnie Owens was a hero every day.
The young man with autism shared a unique bond with the man in blue.
During Sunday service, mother Kathy Cribb fell to her knees in prayer for the four fallen Lakewood police officers.
"A hush fell over the church. We were all in shock," she said.
Then came the names of the slain, including Officer Ron Owens, who had befriended her son when they moved here three years ago.
"These are people that Josh singles out as his friends; anyone in uniform is a friend to him," she said.
Joshua, 18, has the cognitive abilities of a 4 year old. He doesn't understand boundaries, and that can be off-putting for some. But not Owens.
'And Josh reached out and grabbed his arm, which would kind of startle anybody," said Cribb. "He had a gentleness about him and turned and said, 'Hey buddy, what's going on? What's your name?"'
At the memorial site, Joshua quickly latched on to another policeman, and smelled the flowers left for another friend -- Tina Griswold, who worked security at his school.
"I was trying to explain to him what happened. He doesn't know ugliness, doesn't understand what bad things are," Cribb said.
The mother said the officers' kindness went beyond the call of duty; it went to her son's heart. She remembers the last time Josh saw Officer Owens.
"We were in Safeway a week ago and Josh walked up to him in line, and said, 'Hey.' And he said, 'Hey, Josh, what's going on? You want to see my car, don't you?'"
Josh might never understand exactly what actually happened to his friends on the force, but he does know that they're "in heaven."
And maybe that's best.
The young man with autism shared a unique bond with the man in blue.
During Sunday service, mother Kathy Cribb fell to her knees in prayer for the four fallen Lakewood police officers.
"A hush fell over the church. We were all in shock," she said.
Then came the names of the slain, including Officer Ron Owens, who had befriended her son when they moved here three years ago.
"These are people that Josh singles out as his friends; anyone in uniform is a friend to him," she said.
Joshua, 18, has the cognitive abilities of a 4 year old. He doesn't understand boundaries, and that can be off-putting for some. But not Owens.
'And Josh reached out and grabbed his arm, which would kind of startle anybody," said Cribb. "He had a gentleness about him and turned and said, 'Hey buddy, what's going on? What's your name?"'
At the memorial site, Joshua quickly latched on to another policeman, and smelled the flowers left for another friend -- Tina Griswold, who worked security at his school.
"I was trying to explain to him what happened. He doesn't know ugliness, doesn't understand what bad things are," Cribb said.
The mother said the officers' kindness went beyond the call of duty; it went to her son's heart. She remembers the last time Josh saw Officer Owens.
"We were in Safeway a week ago and Josh walked up to him in line, and said, 'Hey.' And he said, 'Hey, Josh, what's going on? You want to see my car, don't you?'"
Josh might never understand exactly what actually happened to his friends on the force, but he does know that they're "in heaven."
And maybe that's best.