Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Precious Son of my Life
There is so much I want to say to you but you hear it every day, so I’m going to tell you the funny thought running through my heart and mind right now. You and Granny are the only ones in our immediate family with a tattoo. Lol. And you both have a cross. Your’s so big, Granny’s so small. Both so unique. Could you please go ask her right now what was she thinking on that trip to Chicago that made her get a tattoo!!!! She would always just laugh that little Granny laugh if we said anything about it :). I’m so glad you got yours….even though it doesn’t say I Love Mom hahahaha. It’s a treasure and comfort to see always.

I love you Matthew, to eternity and beyond. And am always thankful God gave you to all of us.

Mom

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

September 16, 2025

Finished a book today that contained this quote. “For the ones we love, nothing is ever trouble, and everything is never enough.”

Can you imagine how happy he would be to hear Super Troopers III is in production? He loved the original and constantly quoted it.

Sgt. AG
Former HPD

September 16, 2025

matt, first of all I love you and miss you so much. thanks for always watching over us. you already know all the places you put the pennies for me to find! they mean so much to all of us! secondly I just finished registering to ride in the unity tour in May of 2026-30th year of the tour, riding with your best friends. so I will need an extra bit of help from you from Heaven!!! you are my strength and pride . I love you , Dad

Jesse Rittenhouse
Father

September 3, 2025

Happy Birthday Precious Son.
I have been picturing you in heaven all day celebrating your birthday , but still just wondering how you’re not here too. Thank goodness time has no boundaries anymore, it’s like you were just here hugging us, making us laugh, being you, which means life is the best because we’re all together. Thank you for my beautiful cards. Dad had barely left for DC and I was already opening the cards from him and you. You both knew I wouldn’t be able to wait lol. It helped me be able to start Mother’s Day and your birthday. It was a great day with your sisters and precious River. I know you and Lynnlee must look down here and laugh as much as we do at all his funny little antics. Can’t help but think he has a lot of Uncle Matt in him .
Watch over Dad up at police week with all his fellow officers. We’re so proud of you and the man you are. I love you forever to eternity and beyond my beautiful smiling eyes son.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

May 11, 2025

Happy Birthday Precious Son.
I have been picturing you in heaven all day celebrating your birthday , but still just wondering how you’re not here too. Thank goodness time has no boundaries anymore, it’s like you were just here hugging us, making us laugh, being you, which means life is the best because we’re all together. Thank you for my beautiful cards. Dad had barely left for DC and I was already opening the cards from him and you. You both knew I wouldn’t be able to wait lol. It helped me be able to start Mother’s Day and your birthday. It was a great day with your sisters and precious River. I know you and Lynnlee must look down here and laugh as much as we do at all his funny little antics. Can’t help but think he has a lot of Uncle Matt in him .
Watch over Dad up at police week with all his fellow officers. We’re so proud of you and the man you are. I love you forever to eternity and beyond my beautiful smiling eyes son.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

May 11, 2025

Merry Christmas my beautiful son. I love you and miss you so much. I just need to feel those big arms around me and know that everything is ok. It's a good life here, there are so many good things happening in the family, it just makes me sad sometimes when I can't look around and see you in the middle of things. You are and always will be a part of everything we do but I want more. That's just the truth and the way it is. We were given the best when God gave us you and I will always be thankful for the earthly days we had with you.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Officer Matthew Rittenhouse EOW 9/16/2004

January 2, 2025

Twenty years have passed and you have not been forgotten. You will live on in the hearts of those that love you dearly.

"Grief never ends, but it changes. It's a passage not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor lack of faith....
It is the price of Love." Author Unknown

Robert Gordon, Retired DC, Riverside, IL
Father of fallen officer: Michael P. Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04

October 14, 2024

Linda, thank you for your message. It was beautiful. Yes, one day we will see them again when we can live in love, peace and joy. It has been along time but it will see short when we see them. God bless you and continue to give the comfort that He can give you.

Lorraine

September 25, 2024

Dearest Precious Son of my life,

I’ve been scrolling through the years reading the reflections left on your page. Tonight was the memorial service at the park; we added a new fallen officer dedication plaque; met new families that are trying to learn how to go on without their precious loved ones here on earth; saw smiles on people that have struggled to be able to smile; listened to your Chiefs (past and present ) talk about you and your love for your job ; and shared hugs and the common bond that binds us all together …….how do we keep walking on when our heart has been broken. My prayer tonight is that they feel their officer’s love and sweet spirit right beside them , as I do you, and KNOW that you all continue to watch over us here on earth until that time we are reunited and our hearts and souls are whole again.

I love you, I adore you, and I thank God for you.

My precious son of my life, I love you forever, to eternity and beyond.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mom

September 17, 2024

It’s been 20 years, I love you just as much and miss you even more.

We are with you today and you with us, always…
Jenny

Jenny Rittenhouse-Guinn
Sister of Officer Matt Rittenhouse

September 16, 2024

We will all be in Washington this week to honor you, celebrate you , remember you, and miss you ..........as we do every day but With you at the Memorial again this year. Twenty years since you've been gone physically from earth, but never gone from us. You are still, and always will be, right in the middle of everything we do.
Mother's Day, Your Birthday, and Police Week connected forever, not surprising at all that it worked out like that, seems like everything we experience all ties in together now. Just another sign that we all are ALWAYS connected.

I love you, I adore you, I miss you.
I am forever grateful that you are my precious son, my forever smiling eyes.
Continue to watch over all of us, we will say your name a milllion times this week.

Loving you forever,
To eternity and Beyond.

Mom

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Officer Matthew Rittenhouse EOW 9/16/2004

May 10, 2024

I was trying to write to you the other day and was just pouring my heart out and my hand hit something and it erased it all. I sat there and looked at the blank space and thought I can't do this, I can't rewrite all this right now. And you said, I read it Mom, it's ok. There's just something about another year rolling around. How, how, how, can it be this long since I've seen you. But it brings us closer too. To all being together again. I miss YOU so much. I did get the gift of a new Matthew story the other day. It was so YOU, so Precious, so Professional, so caring, and the person telling me said she had held on to it for so long without telling it to me but felt like it was time. She said she thinks about you all the time and how you had taken care of the situation.

I thank God always for the gift of you. To me, and everyone that knew you.

I love you, I miss you. Forever and Always, To eternity and beyond.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

January 3, 2024

I love you my precious son of my life.


Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

November 15, 2023

Linda, thank you for remembering Don. Every time I go to Don's page I always remember Jessie. I look and see what notes that have been left for him. And he was precious, so many people loved him. We're OK. The Lord has sustained us and he has promised that we will see them again when He comes. So we wait patiently until He comes. But they always are in our hearts and minds. God continue to comfort you and your family until............

Lorraine
Mother of Fallen Deputy

October 3, 2023

Linda, another year! It seems like a life time now. But in our hearts it was just yesterday. Hope you are doing well. We are just putting one foot in front or another. But each day brings us closer to seeing them again. We have this hope and joy of what is to come. Take care!

Lorraine
Mother

September 20, 2023

Nineteen years have passed and I know for those that love you dearly that time has been a lifetime. You will never be forgotten. Continue to keep watch over all of your loved ones and those still out on patrol.

Robert Gordon
Father of fallen officer: Michael P. Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04

September 17, 2023

Beautiful Son of my Life, Jesse Matthew Rittenhouse how I love you, and forever am grateful and thankful you were given to us.
Dad and I just talked and talked this morning about you, telling stories about you, and laughing and crying. Thankful Always for YOU.
One of dad's memories was when he took the deck off the lawn mower and you drove it all over the field like a race car driver. We laughed and laughed about that, although at the time I was probably screaming stop! stop! at you. :) One of mine was putting you in the Pretty Baby contest when you were two, (oddly never put the girls in one lol) but you were just soooo cute with that curly hair and little mischievous adorable face. It seems like yesterday we were watching you walk across that stage. You came in 2nd , were they blind! Hahahahaha. Oh mercy how I love you. All the memories, all the blessings, all because of you.
You are always remembered and talked of. Everyone has a Matthew story. You changed the world of everyone fortunate enough to know you.

Always and forever I love you,
To eternity and beyond,
I hold on to you until we are all back together as it is meant to be.

YOUR Mom.

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

September 16, 2023

I love you, I miss you, I need you here.



Momma

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

June 21, 2023

RIP !!! FALLEN BROTHER !!!!

Mortimer J Keane RET PO
NYPD

June 11, 2023

What a day! I left a reflection a little earlier just to check in with you. I don't know if it will show up here now but doesn't matter. The family just left from celebrating your birthday ; helps just to be together and talk about you. Laugh at things you would say and do, look at pictures and remember, always remember; laugh some more, explain to your precious niece what in the world was happening in some of the pictures lol, and just miss you. Had to retell the story of you being born on Mother's Day weekend and since we owned a flower shop, waiting as long as I could before calling your dad telling him he had to get home so we could get to the hospital. Only other florists will understand :). And then having You, BEST Mother's Day present EVER. I love you Matthew. I will never be able to say that enough; but someday time on earth will end, and then I will have eternity to tell you again.

I love you my precious smiling eyes. Thank you for everything. Happy, Happy Birthday.

Linda Rittenhouse
Mother of Matthew Rittenhouse HPD 920
EOW 9/16/2004

May 11, 2023

Happy Birthday Precious son of my life.
I could have used those big arms around me right now telling me to" settle down Mom".
I'll write more later. Just know how much I love you, miss you, and need you. Be with dad right now in DC with the boys for police week.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse

May 11, 2023

Happy birthday Matt!! Hopefully this makes it by the 11th. We’ll be listening to your Triangle Park remix all day tomorrow.

Amanda
former HPD 912

May 10, 2023

Today is one of those days. There is something (always something) that reminds me of you (the penny on the floor as a student had a total come apart yesterday, kicking and hitting with no relief and no effect on his outcome). Then there was something new today-can you believe a Dateline episode that said her name over and over?! We know you have our precious Lynnlee right there with you. But to hear her name over and over. Such a blessing. The same as we keep your name ever present in our world-we keep hers. Please keep her loved and cared for until we get there. We know you will. Having you, and now having her, be part of our lives is a gift that no one can understand if they haven't loved and sacrificed like we have. What a joy to have been your sister in this broken world... to have been her aunt. This world is not our home. We hold tight to our joy, and the hope in knowing we will see you again. Hebrews 13:14 'For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come'.


Give her a hug from her Aunt Jenny...know that I love and miss you always, as well.

Jenny Rittenhouse-Guinn
Sister

March 25, 2023

I love you, I miss you.
Christmas was wonderful as always, and as always you are right in the middle of it with us.
Ethan had his precious Kendall with him, they were married in October you know, and they just make us all laugh and feel thankful and blessed to be around them. Their love radiates.
You are always missed, especially your big hugs, but your big heart and laugh and silliness will always be a part of everything we do as a family. Can hardly wait to go see Kevin James!!!! You two are so much alike you are almost twins. Dad and I watched a TV episode the other night and laughed our heads off even as we wiped the tears :).
We all look forward to the day we can be wrapped in each others arms again.

I love you forever,
To eternity and beyond my beautiful, precious, Smiling Eyes Son.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse

December 27, 2022

Paw Patrol was a big hit at Trunk or Treat last night!!! It made me so happy to see all the little kids dressed up as Police Officers. They loved the Paw Patrol Pumpkin in full gear with his handcuffs, whistle, badge, walkie talkie, watch......you name it he had it. Every time I look at the PP things I see your precious face.

I love you,
To Eternity and Beyond.

Momma

Linda Rittenhouse

October 28, 2022