This is an I-Heart podcast.

And we continue with our American stories.

And all week long, we're honoring those police those officers and sheriffs who gave their lives

serving and protecting us all week long we're honoring them it's national police week each and

every year we tell these stories and by the, we tell them all year long, too.

Shelby Houston was getting ready to preach at her church for the first time back in December of 2021.

She was as nervous as any sensible 18-year-old girl would be about such a thing.

Her father Richard Houston, a 21-year veteran of Mesquite, Texas's police department, did what good fathers do. He sent her a reassuring text. Not long after that

text was sent, Shelby's dad responded to a domestic disturbance call in a parking lot outside in Albertson's grocery

store.

When he arrived, the married couple were fighting over an alleged affair.

When Euston tried to calm the situation as he'd done time and time before, the married

man shot him in the chest, then shot himself in the head.

Houston died. His assailant survived. Americans don't know Houston's name, but we should. His life

was a testimony to the hundreds of thousands of men and women in blue who protect us from harm.

At the memorial service at Lake Point Church in Rockwell, Shelby Houston's oldest daughter,

was one of three people to speak at her father's funeral.

She was preceded by Mesquite Chief of Police David Gill, and assistant chief, Doug Yates.

Here is how Shelby started her eulogy, describing that text her dad sent her, not knowing his life would soon end.

There's so much I want to say about my dad, but I would have to stand up here forever to do that.

I've tried to find all the perfect words and to formulate all the right thoughts for this.

But as I got up to preach last Wednesday for the first time ever, my dad sent me this text.

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