Sgt. Barry Rowell

It was a boating accident – an overturned canoe on a lake at Cane Creek Park in Union County, North Carolina.  A fishing trip on a January day that went horribly wrong.  The wife made it to shore, but the husband never surfaced.  After six days of searching, rescuers recovered the body of Josh Chapman on January 15, 2015.

District 6 wildlife officers assisted with the search and served as liaisons between the family and rescuers.  Sgt. Barry Rowell spent considerable time with the family.  Fatal accidents never truly become routine for law enforcement officers, but many cope with the stress of these incidents by becoming emotionally detached.  Sgt. Rowell took a different approach.  He answered their questions and purposely invested time with them.   He spent most of six days with this family, recognizing that this was likely the most traumatic event of their lives.

Maybe Sgt. Rowell took this approach because he had lost his wife LaDonna six years earlier.  He understood grief.  More likely, he did it because it was the right thing to do.

Sgt. Barry Rowell

Sgt. Rowell died suddenly of a heart attack two days later on January 17, 2015.  He was 52 years old and a picture of health.  It was the sixth anniversary of his wife’s death and he had placed flowers on her grave earlier that day.  His death was shocking. 

Barry’s wildlife and law enforcement families gathered at the funeral home for his visitation.  Capt. John Campbell saw a man and two women enter the room.  The man was visibly shaken and crying.  He approached Capt. Campbell and introduced himself as Josh Chapman’s father.  He was accompanied by his wife and daughter-in-law, Josh’s wife.  Mr. Chapman went on to explain how comforting and helpful Barry and the other wildlife officers had been during the past week while they searched for his son’s body.  They were heartbroken to hear of Barry’s sudden death.  Through his tears, Mr. Chapman leaned in close to Capt. Campbell.

“I have to ask.  Was Sgt. Rowell real or was he an angel?”

Barry was definitely real.  A fine man - a loving father and grandfather.  He was natural with the media and spent considerable time in front of the camera.  He was good friend and a great co-worker.

An angel?  No, Sgt. Barry Rowell was a wildlife officer.