Sheriff’s captain in Georgia dies weeks after contracting COVID. ‘He was a fighter’
As a veteran sheriff’s captain gained praise from his department, he also became known for his dedication to helping children in Georgia.
“Capt. Garigan often served as a mentor for students,” Justin Timms, principal of Belwood Elementary School, wrote in a Facebook post. “It was not uncommon for him to come to the school in the afternoons to play ball or talk to the students in the after-school care program.”
After years of devoting his time to others, Capt. Michael “Mike” Garigan of the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office contracted COVID-19. He died on Sunday, according to officials.
“Mike battled tenaciously and bravely for several weeks with the illness,” Sheriff Mitch Ralston wrote in a statement. “He was a fighter.”
Ralston in his online tribute said the Calhoun area, roughly 70 miles northwest of Atlanta, “lost a great man and a wonderful public servant.”
Officials said Garigan was with the department for more than 30 years, rising up the ranks and earning several accolades along the way. He was also a youth coach and worked with his department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in the 1990s.
“‘Big’ Mike was known by many and always stood ready to help anyone in need,” state Rep. Matt Barton said in a Facebook post. “He was particularly active in helping the youth of our community.”
The sheriff’s office, which didn’t say where Garigan contracted the virus, also remembered him as a “loving family man” who was passionate about sports.
“We appreciate his service to our community, law enforcement, high school sports, and local broadcasting. Mike will be sorely missed,” wrote WJRP, a radio station that said Garigan was part of its sports team.
It’s not the first time an emergency responder has died after contracting COVID-19.
In December, a North Carolina fire chief diagnosed with the virus died on his wedding anniversary.
Nationwide, data showed coronavirus was the top cause of law enforcement officer deaths in 2020, McClatchy News reported in September. Officials said those officers were exposed to the coronavirus while doing their job duties.
