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Leading the way

8 years and counting: Wagner still walking blind girl to school

By Wesley LeBlanc Staff Writer
Posted 8/21/19

ORANGE PARK – Before Kenneth Wagner became police chief of Clay County schools, he was one student’s guardian angel.

Wagner was at the Orange Park Cici’s Pizza fundraising for the Special …

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Leading the way

8 years and counting: Wagner still walking blind girl to school


Posted

ORANGE PARK – Before Kenneth Wagner became police chief of Clay County schools, he was one student’s guardian angel.

Wagner was at the Orange Park Cici’s Pizza fundraising for the Special Olympics when then first-grader Emily Monroe, who’s blind, walked in with her grandmother. Emily’s grandmother introduced Emily to Wagner, and after learning he was a police officer, the girl asked Wagner to walk her to her class at school.

Eight years later, he still walks her to class.

“Her grandma started talking to me and she introduced me (to Emily) as a police officer,” Wagner said. “That’s when Emily touched the badge and we got to talking. She said, ‘will you come to my school and walk me to my class?’”

Wagner said he couldn’t say no to the bubbly first-grader. Now, eight years later, the relationship between the two remains a staple in each of their lives.

Emily was nervous on her first day of eighth grade at Lakeside Junior High, but every bit of nervousness disappeared the second Wagner swooped in for a hug before school officially began on Aug. 13.

“On the first day of school, I said, ‘I’m not a lieutenant anymore’,” Wagner said. “I said I’m the Chief of Police (for the Clay County School District Police Department) and she felt that badge and said, ‘it’s not a star anymore.’”

“It was clearly different but that was a good thing because I knew he wanted to do that (job),” Emily said.

When Wagner became the chief of police, she said she was excited because now all of her friends and fellow students will get to know the man she’s known for more than seven years.

“Now he protects all of us,” Emily said.

Wagner did more than walking Emily to school on the first day. He brought her grilled nuggets and lightly-salted waffle fries from Chik-fil-A – Emily’s personal favorites – for lunch.

Emily likes the Chik-fil-A, but she cherishes the time he puts into her life more. When Emily first met Wagner, she was scared of police officers. That feeling has long since passed.

“I’m not scared anymore,” Emily said. “He’s shown me that they’re here to protect us.”

Emily wants to be a princess that visits children when she’s older. Queen Elsa and Princess Anna from Disney’s “Frozen” are her favorite characters.

“He’s (Wagner) going to help, too,” Emily said. “He always does.”

In the seven years Wagner has been Emily’s mentor, he’s taught her to lean on people when she needs a shoulder.

“If anything has rubbed off of me onto her, I hope it’s to trust in others,” Wagner said. “If I’m ever not around, I want her to believe that she can trust in people and trust that they’re looking out for her.”

Be it her first day of school, her last day of school or any day in between, Emily said she doesn’t worry as much as she used to and it’s all because of Wagner.

“I know he’s got my back.”