THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 27, 1995 TAG: 9509260125
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
The sad coincidence of death, and of shared loss, moved two families to stretch out supportive arms to each other Saturday, thanks to a friend who drew them together in a positive way.
With a little help from their friends, city law enforcement officers and truck drivers joined hands to raise money for two Virginia Beach police families who lost loved ones in unrelated accidents earlier this month.
The benefit auction at Big Charlie's Truck Plaza was originally intended to help the family of 2-year-old Jake Slayton, who drowned Sept. 7 in a lake near his home. But when the boy's father, Detective John Slayton, learned what his friends had planned, he insisted that any money raised also go to the family of Danny Burton, a police officer who died that same day in a motorcycle accident.
In turn, Burton's widow, Leigh, donated a dozen items for the auction, including her husband's tour bike, said Gradey Roland, Burton's friend and fellow detective and one of those who organized the event.
Danny Burton and Jake Slayton were both pronounced dead at 12:20 p.m. Sept. 7, and the officer and his comrade's son were buried on the same day, Sept. 12. The boy's death started a chain reaction of sympathy among friends of the Slaytons that quickly enlarged to encompass the widow and her two small children.
When Shinda Bharij and Ralph Ganie heard about the death of the Slayton child, they were overcome by grief. The brothers-in-law knew the third precinct detective from his frequent visits to their Northampton Boulevard truck plaza.
``It was a terrible feeling,'' said Bharij, remembering the day he learned of the family's loss. ``He was just my son's age.''
``We went to see them,'' said Ganie. ``We felt it was important to be with them . . . to see if there was anything at all we could do. We had strong feelings . . . this tragedy that no one can avoid. It could happen to anybody. People all over the world deal with this sort of tragedy the same. It's a baby.''
So Ganie, who emigrated from British Guyana 20 years ago, and Bharij, who came to the United States from his native India in 1982, talked with Gradey and their restaurant manager, Valerie Fisher, and together, the four came up with a plan.
``It is beautiful the way people help each other,'' said Ganie, watching three flatbed tractor trailers being carefully maneuvered into position to cordon off the auction area in his parking lot for the sale Saturday morning. Another truck, already in place, would serve as a sales platform for auctioneers.
Any perception that police and truckers are at odds with each other wasn't evident. Usually, ``we're the outlaws,'' said trucker Glenn Adams. ``These guys stop us and give us tickets all the time.''
Fisher said about three-fourths of the 133 items and services donated by members of the community and sold Saturday were purchased by truckers. A total of $2,741 was raised.
For Fisher, the alliance between the big-rig operators and police didn't seem unusual at all.
``After all, when you're in need, they're the ones that help you out,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Auctioneer Gene Daniels offers buyers an inspection of a diamond
ring that he's about to sell.
Auctioneers Gene Daniels, left, and George Hoffmeyer auction off a
donated dresser at Big Charlie's Truck Plaza. Photos are by Nancy
Lewis
by CNB