Heartbreaking Journey of a Police Widow

They were high school sweethearts, and Alex Maddox believed they would always be together.

But dreams, as it turns out, don’t always last forever.

In 2018, she received the kind of call that every police officer’s spouse dreads. Her husband, Chase Maddox, was shot three times while executing an arrest warrant in Locust Grove, Georgia, and died before reaching the hospital.

“It was hell on earth,” she recounted. “It was my worst nightmare come true.”

Just four days after this tragic loss, she welcomed her second son, Bodhi.

As a mother of two and having worked as a project manager at Delta Air Lines, Alex had to leave her job to raise her sons alone.

Her first child, Bradin, born in June 2010 with special needs, unfortunately passed away from complications in 2022, plunging Maddox into another wave of grief.

“I reached a point where my foundation felt completely shattered,” she reflected. “It was like I was stuck, just trying to figure out how to move forward.”

That’s when she found Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that not only awarded her a scholarship to pursue a degree in communications but also connected her with a community of other police widows.

“Folds of Honor has really brought so much support into my life,” she expressed.

“We’ve had the opportunity to attend events and meet others facing similar challenges. It makes everything feel a little less isolating for my son and me,” she added.

“Meeting other widows who are further along in their journeys has given me a glimmer of hope, a sense that, ‘Okay, we can get through this.’”

Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has handed out over 73,000 scholarships, totaling more than $340 million nationwide.

This week, the organization announced scholarships for the children of Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old NYPD officer who was tragically killed in a shooting while working security in midtown Manhattan.

“This commitment to the brave men and women who protect our families embodies our mission to honor their sacrifice and educate about their legacy,” commented Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, the founder and CEO of Folds of Honor.

The scholarships are worth $5,000 a year, amounting to $60,000 over four years for the three Muslim children if they all attend college.

“The families of our fallen and disabled heroes are making an incredible sacrifice,” noted Patrick Hendry, president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association.

“When tragedy strikes in a law enforcement family, all their future plans, including education, are turned upside down. Through their extraordinary scholarship efforts, Folds of Honor offers a piece of the future back to these families. It means everything to us in the Blue Family. I can’t express my gratitude enough.”