LAYTON, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Hundreds of family, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers from across the country attended the funeral of UHP Trooper Aaron Robert Beesley.
Trooper Beesley died one week ago on Saturday June 30 after trying to rescue a pair of stranded teenagers on Mt. Olympus. He apparently lost his footing and fell approximately 60 feet.
Law enforcement officers from Idaho, Mexico, Colorado, California, and Minnesota were among the hundreds in attendance at Saturday's funeral at Northridge High School in Layton.
Following a packed viewing and opening remarks, family members and co-workers spoke in honor of Beesley's life.
Beesley's mother Laretta Beesley shared some humor with the audience while relaying childhood memories. She also outlined achievements in Trooper Beesley's life including becoming an Eagle Scout, serving an LDS mission in Oakland, California, graduating from Weber State's Police Academy, marrying his sweetheart Christy, and raising their three sons.
Beesley's brother Arik, a fellow UHP Trooper also spoke at the funeral, sharing heartwarming remarks about Aaron's devotion to his family and to the people of Utah. "I am extremely grateful for the knowledge that I have of life after death...this is a short time we'll be away from Aaron and he'll be there and we're all blessed to have had him our lives," says UHP Trooper Arik Beesley.
Governor Herbert joined family members in speaking. He expressed thanks for Beesley's service by encouraging Utahns to express gratitude to all law enforcement officers. "I'd like to say to all of us that I hope there is a spirit of gratitude for the service that not only Aaron renders, but to others in public service and to all our public safety officials."
Following the funeral, Trooper Beesley was buried on Saturday at West Point Cemetery in West Point, Utah. He was 34 years old when he died.
