DENVER (BRAIN) — Rudy Project is sponsoring FBI agent Edward Ignacio, who plans to compete in this year's Ironman World Championships — in full tactical gear, including a bullet-proof vest — to bring attention to a proposed law enforcement memorial in Hawaii. Hawaii is the only state that currently does not have such a memorial.
Ignacio, a fourth-generation Hawaiian, was first exposed to triathlon when his father, a police officer, directed traffic at the Kona event.
Rudy Project will support Iganacio with helmets, sunglasses, and promotional help this season.
Having been in law enforcement for several decades, first as a police officer and then an FBI agent, Ignacio has lost several colleagues in the line of duty.
"Two of the officers on the list here in Hawaii were buddies of mine who unfortunately died on my wedding day in 1995. They were part of a helicopter rescue operation in the mountains when they crashed. That stuck with me, and it was the wife of one of those officers who spearheaded this movement. That's why it's been driving me personally. When I go down the list of others that have passed, I now have known eight other officers who are on that list. I knew them personally, I know their families, and it's hard."
The Hawaii Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation has already secured land from the state and has finalized a design. It's now raising funds to begin construction.
"Ed is a compassionate individual fighting to make a world of difference," said Paul Craig, president of Rudy Project North America. "Ever since I met him at my first Ironman race, I've known that he was a rock star working toward the greater good. When Ed introduced me to the Hawaii Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation and told me his story, I knew we had to become involved. I'm just proud that we here at Rudy Project stand behind him and his mission."
More information: hlemf.org.
