Stephen Tyrone Johns: A Hero is Remembered
By Reneé D. Campbell
9:57 a.m. … a line has already formed to enter the doors of the church. The parking lots begin to fill up and police stand guard shoulder to shoulder at the entrance as cars enter single file. The sun shines bright on a day when tears flow in a peaceful atmosphere. The life of one man is remembered who was taken from us at age 39.
Stephen Tyrone Johns, a Special Police Officer, was laid to rest Friday at Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington. The Temple Hills resident was killed in the line of duty on June 10 at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum where he worked for six years. Hundreds arrived to pay their respects and say their final goodbyes to a man who carried out the mission of the last place he stood.
Stephen Tyrone Johns / Photo: www.cbc.ca
Blue and cream colored flowers lay atop a brown wooden casket, which cradled a man who was described as big in heart.
Mourners were led into the funeral by Johns’s employer, Wackenhut security; the officers escorted their fallen brother into his homecoming service. Also in attendance was the Honor Guard for the Smithsonian Institution, which marched in formation at the funeral.
Johns’s pastor, Rev. John McCoy of The Word of God Baptist Church in Washington, told mourners, “Though he was silenced, we can’t afford to allow love, justice, and righteousness to be silenced,” a fitting expression for a man whose life was taken at a place that recognizes the suffering of people by those who harbored hate in their hearts.
Johns’s finest hour, said McCoy, was “his act of kindness in the face of evil.” His life is a reflection of what the museum promotes and he will be remembered for his service.
“My deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. Johns. As a long standing resident of Prince George’s County and a graduate of Crossland High School, Mr. Johns was an integral part of our Prince George’s County Family,” said County Executive Jack Johnson in a statement following the shooting.
“He is a true hero who died in the line of duty, protecting and serving those around him. His sacrifice saved the lives of many children and other guests at the Holocaust Museum. While he is no longer with us, his spirit, commitment to his job and his great sacrifice so that others may live, will always remain close to my heart.”
The museum, which was closed so that employees could pay their respects, reopened at 3 p.m. where a floral tribute was left in memory of Johns. He leaves behind his son, Stephen Jr., 11, two stepsons, Jeffrey Pollard and Tysean Lawson-Bey, and his wife, Zakiah Pollard. The couple recently celebrated their one-year anniversary.
A memorial fund has been established by museum officials for the Johns family. Contributions can be made online at www.ushmm.org, by mail at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl. SW, Washington, DC 20024 or by calling 877-918-7466.
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