Day of the Dead ofrenda honors fallen Chicago policewoman Ella French

CHICAGO (WLS) – Chicago Police Officer Ella French may be gone, but she is not forgotten as the community celebrates and remembers her in a special way.

The sidewalk outside the 8th District of the Chicago Police Department has been transformed as the community gathers to remember the deceased officer during a Day of the Dead celebration.

“Keeping her name there, remembering everything she did – it’s good to see,” said Commander Bryan Spreyne, CPD 8th District.

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The remembrance is led by Keith Thornton, the emergency dispatcher who was on duty when Constable French was killed in August.

“[I] I’ve never met her once, but I feel like I know her pretty much more than anyone here, “he said.

The West Side native, who is a former South Central Los Angeles cop and EMT / firefighter, has been credited with helping save the life of French’s partner, Officer Carlos Yanez Junior, helping the officers on the scene get her to the nearest trauma center.

“I walked into a dimension where I thought I was on the street running with these guys and the only happy thing about those days was catching the ones who murdered my sister and shot my brother, ”Thornton said.

In keeping with Latin tradition, Thornton constructed an ofrenda, or homage, to Officer French.

It is a few blocks from where she lost her life.

“You make the altar, and you put their pictures and the things they liked to eat or the things they liked, and you remember that,” said Juanita Ariola, of the Helen and Joe Foundation.

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One by one, they honor their hero.

“We are the same age [and] I’m also addicted to iced coffee, so you know I definitely saw it in myself, ”said Alexis Interrante, Chicago police officer.

Sara Trevino brought her two daughters to see the tribute.

“I’m just here to show my daughters the importance of celebrating someone’s life, of remembering her [and] honor him, ”she said.

The ofrenda will be in place for a day or two in hopes of helping both the community and the department heal by remembering Officer Ella French.