Her Police Husband Was Shot: Her Mission to Support Police Families

 

West Palm Beach, Fl - In 2015, Kelli Hill-Lowe’s life changed forever when she received the notification that every police spouse dreads: her husband, Sergeant Charles Lowe of the St. Louis Police Department, had been shot in an ambush. “It was like time stopped,” Kelli recalled in the interview. “I didn’t know if he was alive or dead. The fear was suffocating.”

The incident occurred while Charles was working a secondary job in St. Louis’s Central West End. A group approached his civilian vehicle, and without warning, one of them opened fire at close range. Miraculously, Charles survived, thanks to his bulletproof vest and quick instincts. However, the attack left lasting scars, both physical and emotional, for him and his family. “They wanted him dead,” Kelli said, her voice steady but heavy with the weight of the memory. “That was the hardest part to accept, that someone would target him just for doing his job.”

The road to justice was long. It wasn’t until February 2024 that the attacker was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison, with another individual involved receiving 30 years. For Charles, the verdict brought closure. “It was like a weight had been lifted,” he shared. “There were a lot of emotional ups and downs, but that day brought peace.”

While Charles focused on physical recovery, Kelli grappled with the emotional toll. Fear and anxiety became her constant companions, yet amidst the pain, a sense of purpose emerged. “I kept thinking, there have to be other spouses like me,” she said. “People who feel helpless, who don’t know where to turn after something like this.”

This realization sparked a mission that would transform her life and countless others. Kelli took on the role of President of the National Police Wives Association (NPWA), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the spouses and families of law enforcement officers nationwide. Under her leadership, the NPWA has grown into a vibrant community, connecting thousands through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn. “We’re not just offering support, we’re building a network of strength,” Kelli explained. “We mentor new police spouses, promote mental wellness, and provide a place where people truly understand what it’s like to live this life.”

One of the NPWA’s most impactful initiatives is its national suicide awareness campaign, symbolized by 55 purple flags, one for each U.S. state and five for its territories. The campaign honors officers lost to suicide while offering hope to those struggling. “Mental health is just as critical as physical safety,” Kelli emphasized. “This campaign reminds families and departments that they’re not alone, there are resources, there’s help, and there is healing.”

Together, Kelli and Charles have become vocal advocates, sharing their story on platforms like the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast. Their goal is to shed light on the unseen burdens law enforcement families carry. “What happened to Charles could’ve broken us,” Kelli said. “But we chose to turn that pain into purpose.”

Through every outreach effort, Kelli is redefining resilience. She demonstrates that strength isn’t about being untouched by trauma but about rising in its wake. “Being a police family means living every day with both fear and faith,” she said. “And in our case, faith won.”

Kelli Hill-Lowe’s journey from a night of terror to a national movement is a testament to the power of turning personal pain into collective strength. Her work with the NPWA continues to provide a lifeline for police families, proving that even in the darkest moments, there is a path to healing and hope.

To hear Kelli's full story, listen to the interview as a free podcast on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available for free on their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most major podcast platforms.

Attributions

KSDK

National Police Wives Association

KSDK

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Arrest of Corrections Officer, They Settled The Lawsuit

Image
  West Palm Beach, Fl - He dedicated over two decades of his life to serving our country, only to find yourself wrongfully accused by the very people he worked alongside. For Ian Murray, a U.S. military veteran and former corrections officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO), this wasn’t just a hypothetical scenario, it was his reality. After years of legal battles, Murray recently reached a settlement with the JSO, bringing some resolution to a nightmare that began with a wrongful arrest. Murray’s ordeal started like a scene from a bad dream: a knock on his door from JSO officers in tactical gear, there to arrest him on felony theft charges linked to his military leave. The accusations spread like wildfire. Local media jumped on the story, social media lit up with chatter, and podcasts began dissecting the case. Murray’s career and reputation, built over years of service, took a devastating hit as doubts about his integrity swirled. “It was devastating,” Murray said in ...
Read more

‘12’ or ‘Pigs’ the History of Anti-Police Slang

Image
  West Palm Beach, Fl - If you’ve scrolled through social media, binge-watched TV shows, or tuned into podcasts recently, chances are you’ve stumbled across someone referring to the police as “12” or “pigs.” These terms pop up everywhere, from song lyrics to protest signs to casual chats, and they’ve been around for decades, still stirring the pot today. But where did they come from, and what do they reveal about society’s relationship with law enforcement? From Farmyard Insult to Political Statement Let’s kick things off with “pig,” a term most people recognize. While it might feel like a quintessentially American jab, its origins actually stretch back to England. “The insult goes back to 19th century England,” says cultural historian Dr. Lydia Markham. “It was used to describe someone greedy or morally lacking. Eventually, it narrowed in on the police.” The term gained serious traction in the United States during the turbulent 1960s, a time of social upheaval and anti-establishme...
Read more

A Survivor's Journey from Trauma to Advocacy

Image
  In the depths of our darkest experiences sometimes lies the seed of our greatest purpose. Nate Lewis's story demonstrates how personal wounds, when acknowledged and healed, can become wellsprings of strength and compassion for others. When trauma touches lives at a young age, it often shapes paths in ways not fully comprehended until years later. For Nate Lewis, founder of The Innocent, a nonprofit fighting child sex trafficking and exploitation, this journey from victim to advocate exemplifies how personal pain can transform into powerful purpose. The Silence of Childhood Trauma "I kept it buried for so long, but it affected everything, my choices, my safety, my entire world," Lewis recently shared on the " Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast ," revealing how sexual abuse at just 12 years old set him on a troubling path. "I didn't even know what sex was at that time. I hadn't had the talk with my parents, and sex education wasn't even...
Read more