JACKSON, Mich (WSYM) - Never forgotten and always remembered.
A former Jackson police officer who was killed in the line of duty in Virginia last year is being honored across the country tonight.
The tribute to Chad Dermyer went up on highway billboards Friday, December 22, 2017.
FOX 47's Alani Letang talked about this road-side memorial with his family.
"No one's just letting his sacrifice just be forgotten," said Lauree Dermyer, Chad's sister.
Chad Dermyer was a Marine, a Jackson police officer, and a Virginia state trooper.
He was shot and killed on the job on March 31, 2016.
His father started "Billboards for Chad" to spread his legacy to people driving by and he hopes it will motivate strangers to learn about who his son was.
"Now, with today's technology, you can," said Anne Barnett, Chad's mother.
"Google him just to see how much of an amazing man he was to everyone," said Dermyer.
"Communities that he touched...he just had an amazing personality," said Barnett
The family told FOX 47 News seeing Chad's name in LED lights stretched across a billboard brings a wave of emotions.
"It kind of sets you back a little bit. It's another confirmation of what we've lost but then at the same time it's very proud of what he's done," said Barnett.
And what other officers have done. Barnett said the billboards aren't just for her son. They're also a tribute to other fallen officers.
"To put on that badge every day and knowing the risk that they take and when they say goodbye to their family, that they might not come home. So just to thank all the men and women of the law enforcement," said Barnett.
The billboards aren't going up in Jackson so Dermyer is hitting the road until she finds one.
"I'm a doer. I got to find a billboard. We got to drive somewhere. I totally will head to the Detroit area to find one," said Dermyer.
The family hopes to make putting up billboards a Christmas tradition.
"He did great things that will never be forgotten," said Barnett.
The family provided us a map showing where the billboards are nationwide. They are even in Canada.
The family has asked if you see one to take a picture and caption it: #Billboards4Chad.
