To honor Charlie and what he taught me in life, I will do my best to be happy for him and for me. I will love the babies we raised and hug them extra tight for him. I will push myself to get up on the days I don't want to and I will let myself say I'm not okay on the days I can't handle.
As for being a LEO's wife, we are made different. We are a different kind of tough, smart, and self-sufficient. We learn to fix things when they break, hold down the fort when they are gone, vacation alone, celebrate holidays alone, eat alone, sleep alone, and make decisions alone because duty calls and the helpless needs them too. We agree to share them with those who hate them and we don't talk about that part...ever.
As a LEO's widow, we are forced to be even stronger. We end one day as their wife and start another as their widow. We pick up the pieces and fight to get back on our feet because we weren't given a choice. We suddenly realize that all the things we handled before with ease are now the hardest to do just because they're GONE. It's then we realize the reason they chose US to share their journey with. Being married to a LEO isn’t for just anyone; it was for us and now…they know we have THEIR six.
Teresa Kondek Proud widow of Officer Charles Kondek, Jr. #285 Tarpon Springs Police Dept., Florida, EOW 12/21/14
CHARLES ROGER KONDEK, JR, TARPON SPRINGS POLICE DEPARTMENT EOW: DECEMBER 21, 2014
Police Officer Charlie Kondek was shot and killed while responding to a noise complaint call at 199 Grand Boulevard.
Residents of an apartment complex had called police because a man who had been knocking on apartment doors at approximately 2:00 am. When Officer Kondek arrived at the scene he was shot by the subject. The subject, who had recently been released from prison on parole, then drove over Officer Kondek as he fled the scene.
The subject was arrested a short distance away after crashing into a utility pole and parked car. He plead guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to life March 23, 2018.
Officer Kondek had served with the Tarpon Springs Police Department for 17 years and had previously served with the New York City Police Department for five years. He is survived by his wife and six children.
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