Tony Smerk, a beloved father, youth pastor, Army veteran and police officer, died Wednesday from a medical emergency, according to the North Olmsted Police Department. Now, his brothers and sisters in blue are mourning the community's tragic loss.
The department announced Smerk's death in a poignant Facebook post.
"Yesterday evening we lost not only one of our guys, but a truly great human. I know, everyone is 'a great guy' when they die but Tony Smerk was truly great. He was an Army combat vet, a youth pastor, and a great cop. More than titles, he was the daddy of two adorable 4 year old twin girls, a husband that made no secret about how much he was in love with his wife, a dedicated son and brother, and a devout man of God," the post stated.
The department said Smerk had a natural way of talking to people that couldn't be taught to others, and his absence from the force is something that can't be measured. And while another officer will eventually be hired, that individual will have "impossibly huge shoes to fill. Tony can't be replaced."
North Olmsted police ask that community members say a prayer for Smerk and his family.
"Not because he was a cop; because he was a stellar human living his life in service to others," the department said in the post.
Smerk's death is something that everyone who ever met him will feel, said the department.
"This is going to be a huge loss for his family, his department, and this community. If you never met him, I’m sorry. He made lives better wherever he went," North Olmsted Police said in the post. "Rest easy, Tony. The world is a better place because you were in it and, while way too short, your life was not in vain."
