Widow, children of fallen officer to finally get benefits

Another case when there was a reporter caring enough to report and caused a wrong to be made right.

Widow, children of fallen Fed Way officer to finally get benefits
By Michelle Esteban Published: Jul 26, 2011

SEATTLE -- After a year of denials for a police officer's widow and a Problem Solvers investigation, the state has made a stunning about-face.

The widow of Federal Way police officer Brian Walsh and her children will now get the financial benefits they desperately need.

The Walsh family is beyond relieved. Yesterday, they didn't know how they would make ends meet. Today's news means financial and medical benefits for Vanessa Walsh and her three young children.

"As a cop's wife, you worry every day what's going to happen if something happens. 'How are we going to do it?'" said Vanessa. "He (Brian) always told me, 'You're going to be taken care of don't worry about it.'"

But shortly after her husband died, Vanessa learned she and her three children were on their own.

"I didn't understand being denied," she said.

Because Brian died of a heart attack while guarding a crime scene, the state insisted he didn't die in the line of duty and denied his widow benefits.

The Problem Solvers were the first to expose Vanessa's struggle and question the denial. Then, Vanessa learned if she could prove Brian suffered from "unusual stress", she could collect a portion of his salary and get medical coverage for her family.

At the time of his death, Brian was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after being involved in a prior police shooting. His doctor told the state Brian's PTSD worsened when four Lakewood officers and a Seattle officer were gunned down in 2009 a few months prior to his death.
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Widow, children of fallen Fed Way officer to finally get benefits