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In loving memory of Matthew Michael Prichard, a young man that brought a lot of happiness into our lives. I met
Matt on May 15th, 2007 while assigned to a ride-along with the California Highway Patrol (CHP). While working as
a dispatcher for the CHP, we were assigned to ride-alongs and my first one was in South Sacramento which was an area
that Matt patrolled for the Sacramento Police Department. While conducting follow-up from a collision at UC
Davis Medical Center, my ride-along parked his patrol vehicle at the medical center. Parked along side of
us, I immediately noticed a Sacramento Police Department vehicle, and inside that police car was the most handsome
officer I had ever seen. We briefly locked eyes and that was it. Three short days after that brief encounter
I ran into him again at a bar downtown. I knew right away, we were meant to be together. We both recognized
each other and it was as if the whole world disappeared and it was just the two of us standing there alone.
From that moment on, not a moment went by that I didn't think about how happy he made me. From then on, we saw
each other almost every single day. Neither one of us could stand to be apart from the other. He would sometimes
drive to my job just to see me even if it was for 15 minutes. In no time, my son and my family enjoyed the
company of Matt as much as I did. Within a few months, Matt and I decided to buy a house together and get married.
We received our marriage license in August 2007 and celebrated our wedding with family and friends at a small ceremony
on October 6, 2007. This was the happiest time of my life.
Soon after we were married, Matt and I talked about having children right away. The love we had for one another
was intense and unlike any other love I'd ever felt. Many of Matt's friends told me they had never seen him
in love like this before and how he talked about finally meeting "the one", the one he wanted to settle down with and have
children. We wanted to create a life and a family together. Matt quickly became a wonderful step-father
to my son Alex. What Alex loved most about spending time with Matt was when he picked him up from school racing as fast
as they could back home with Alex's scooter. Matt constantly showed love to Alex and they had a special bond whether he was
helping him do his homework or baking cookies together. Alex looked up to Matt so much, he even mentioned
how he wanted to become a police officer when he grew up. Of course, Matt was thrilled to hear those words from Alex.
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