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By Katie Galyean
Most people hope that their life will leave an impact on at least one person once they are gone. While that time came early for Deputy Sheriff Dewayne Hester, 39, he succeeded in leaving a legacy behind for a whole county.
On June 8, 2012, on the way to assist a fellow officer in a domestic dispute, Hester’s car went airborne on N.C. 87 and hit a tree. He was declared dead upon impact.
Hester served with the Elizabethtown Police Department for four years before moving to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office where he served a little over a year before his accident.
Captain Jeff Bridgers, who served along side of Hester, said, “He was a good officer, a good guy, a great family man. He was very dedicated to his job and would do anything in the world for you.”
Chief Deputy Larry Guyton, who only lives about a mile from where the accident took place, said, “You never forget, you just never forget. … Every time I go by that place, I look over there.”
Sheriff James McVicker was not sheriff during Hester’s time of service, but taught him in his Basic Law class and was one of his driving instructors. “[Dewayne] loved serving the people of Bladen County and died doing what he loved to do. … [There isn’t a week] that goes by that his name is not mentioned in this office. … Everyone just thought the world of him,” said McVicker.
One of the first things McVicker did as sheriff was to place an honor wall in the foyer of the office. “[I wanted] to make sure that everyone knows that we haven’t forgotten,” said McVicker.
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