MACON, Ga. — Fallen corrections officer Christopher Knight was stabbed and killed two years ago, leaving his legacy with his now four-year-old daughter Zemirah Knight, or "Lulu."
But on Tuesday, Zemirah started her first day of Pre-K at Porter Elementary School. In memory of her father, the sheriff and deputies from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office got together to escort her to her classroom.
“Since he’s not able to be here, I wanted to get the support from the sheriff’s department," said Cheryl Knight, mother of Christopher Knight and Lulu's grandmother. “Everybody was on board. I talked to Sheriff [David] Davis, I talked to [Lt.] Greg Jones and they all were on board. They were more than happy to do this for Lulu.”
Two years after Christopher’s sudden death, his family talked about how being together in solidarity shows how much Christopher was loved in the community.
“When what happened to Chris happened, we were just all in shock," Cheryl said. "I wouldn’t have expected this to happen. So to still have the support of the department behind us, it’s just very important to me because, you know, he was killed in the line of duty so it’s very important to have the support of the sheriff’s department behind us.”
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis walked the halls with Zemirah hand-in-hand, feeling bittersweet comfort with each step.
"Even though her father Christopher Knight is no longer with us, we just want to let the family know that we remember him and remember them and this milestone that his daughter has taken on her first day of school," Davis said. “We always cherish Chris's memory and the work he did at the sheriff’s office. We’re always going to be a part of his family and his family’s always going to be a part of the sheriff’s office, and this is just one little piece of that.”
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and Zemirah’s village includes her family, friends and those at the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
“I know Chris would want to be here for her first day of school," Cheryl said. "I want her to have all the support she needs and let her know that everybody is backing her."
Davis said that, as the years pass by, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office will still be behind Kemirah and the Knight family in the aftermath of Christopher Knight's sacrifice.
“Just know that if she continues on with her career in school, we will always be there for them and we will celebrate all of her victories in her educational process," Davis said. "She’s always a part of the sheriff’s office family no matter what.”
The man accused of killing Christopher Knight, Albert Booze, is still awaiting trial.