Jacqueline Reckling said her family had lost an “emotional anchor” after her husband was killed in the line of duty on Saturday night, leaving behind three young children and another on the way.
“It’s known around the world that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office lost a talented and dedicated detective this weekend, but more importantly, our family has lost everything,” his grieving widow told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday.
Michigan sheriff’s deputy Bradley Reckling, 30, was killed in an ambush when the driver of a stolen vehicle jumped out of his car and opened fire.
Officers pushed out by progressive treatment have a stark warning for the next generation of law enforcement.
Jacqueline, who is pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, said their young daughters, aged six, four and one, still don’t fully understand what happened to their father.
“My dad was an all-around good guy, a really extraordinary human being. He put his heart and soul into every aspect of his life, he put himself before others, and he always showed up,” she said. “He loved being a detective, and for all those reasons he was a great detective, but he loved being a father even more, and he was the best father to his daughters. … He taught them so much, and they looked up to him so much, and they wanted to be just like their dad, and they deserved to spend more time with their dad.”
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told Fox & Friends First that Bradley was wearing plain clothes and driving a plain car at the time of the incident, and reported that three people were subsequently arrested.
Bouchard praised Bradley for his hard work and work ethic and said she was “honored” to promote him to undersheriff.
Deputy Sheriff Brad Reckling tragically lost his life in the line of duty on June 23, 2024. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office)
“Frankly, a lot of people are hurt and devastated by this,” Bouchard said. “I think when you lose such an influential, such a great person, it leaves an even bigger hole.”
“What we’re trying to do is do everything we can to help and support the family and remove any financial hardships or difficulties they may be facing. We’ll never be able to fill that hole, nobody can, but we’re going to try to help them with what we can help and be there for them.”
Who will suffer from police budget cuts? Over 1,000 murders remain unsolved in this blue city.
Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Schiller has pledged to pay off the Recklings’ mortgage to help ease the financial burden on the soon-to-be mother of four, and the family has also set up a GoFundMe page for support.
Jacqueline’s message to Americans is to remember that police officers are just doing their jobs and going home to their families like everyone else.
“Brad was my best friend. We made a great team and had a great life together,” she said. “We’ve lost the support of our family and the community has lost a detective.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
