TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link is scheduled to be honored Wednesday night by a young man who will run his 1,550th mile in support of fallen first responders.
Zechariah Cartledge founded Running 4 Heroes Inc., a non-profit organization in 2019, to raise funds for fallen first responders. Cartledge is scheduled to run the mile at 8 p.m. Wednesday, at Tavares Middle School, 13032 Lane Park Cutoff Road, Tavares. Attendees are asked to arrive between 7 and 7:30 p.m.
CLERMONT, Fla.— “Let us remember Bradley as a true hero for his courageous actions.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stephanie Earley spoke about her dear friend and field training officer Master Deputy Bradley Link at his Celebration of Life and Service Saturday. Thousands of people were in attendance.
Earley spoke about the relationship she and her husband had with Link, and his wife, Brittany. The times they spent together playing Catch Phrase and, “our beach days together were the best,” she said.
PHOTO: Real Life Christian Church
Deputy Matthew Layman, who was Link’s zone partner when he was in the road patrol unit, spoke about Link’s incredible smile, his commitment to serve, and said “his first concern was always for others.”
Another zone partner and close friend, Deputy Preston Leonard also shared his feelings about Link also known as “Baby Boy.” He described Link as warm, inviting and charismatic, and “truly fearless in all his endeavors.” He spoke about Link “looking at the moon and stars on his telescope, his love for fishing and how Link felt he had not worked a day since his transfer to the Agricultural and Marine Unit because he “gets to do what he loves.”
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Preston Leonard speaks about his friend and colleague, fallen Master Deputy Bradley Link. PHOTO: Real Life Christian Church
Earley, Layman and Leonard each spoke about Link’s love for his wife, Brittany.
The couple met in high school, Brittany said, “Brad was an exceptional human being. Truly a living, breathing angel.” He was, “slow, to speak, slow to anger, and quick to understand.” He loved lights of all kinds, she said, from lights on a patrol car to Christmas lights, and “his heartbeat was fueled by humble servitude.”
She had a message for those who want to honor Link.
“Love each other without restraint, be kind to all, and have faith that God is good. Have Bradley’s heart for the needy, the broken, the rejects and the lonely.”
Brittany closed with, “I truly believe he is still taking care of me from Heaven, she said, “by sending me all of you.”
Sheriff Peyton Grinnell spoke about Link’s bravery and how his actions saved the lives of his fellow deputies. He was on his way home from a security detail when he heard a call out for extra deputies regarding a fight in progress outside of Eustis. He texted his wife, letting her know he was going to be a little late.
Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell speaks at fallen Master Deputy Bradley Link’s Celebration of Life and Service Saturday. PHOTO: Real Life Christian Church
After arriving at the scene, deputies believed a home invasion may have occurred at a nearby residence. Link and other deputies entered the home and Link, in the lead position, was met with gunfire from a high-powered rifle and collapsed, suffering multiple gunshot wounds. In a “hail of gunfire,” and crawling for safety, he fired upon the suspects, until he emptied his weapon, allowing other deputies to retreat to safety and then immediately try to rescue Link. One of those deputies, K9 Master Deputy Harold Howell was shot in the immediate rescue attempt. He survived his wound.
In a heartbreaking revelation, Grinnell said Brittany, unaware of this tragic event, called Link’s cell phone to check on him because it was getting late. One of the assailants answered his phone, and told her husband was dead.
“That will forever be the worst phone call of Brittany’s life.”
Grinnell said Link “faced danger without hesitation,” and “selflessly placed the safety of others above his own.” Grinnell awarded Link with both the Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart posthumously. He is survived by his wife, Brittany, his parents, Daniel and Christi, his brother, John and his sister, Brittany.
CLERMONT, Fla.—A celebration of life and memorial service for fallen Lake County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Bradley Link will livestream at 11 a.m. today.
The livestream will be available for those who cannot attend in person. You may watch by clicking here.
Hundreds of people are attending the service, including community members, dignitaries and law enforcement officers from across the country, in addition to family and friends.
Link, 28, was a 2015 graduate of Lake Minneola High School, served in the Army Reserves and became a deputy sheriff for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in 2017. He was hired at LCSO in October 2019. He served in the Agriculture and Marine Unit at the time of his death.
Master Deputy Bradley Link and Sheriff Peyton Grinnell in October 2019.
LEESBURG, Fla.—Hundreds of residents, law enforcement officers and firefighters lined U.S. Highway 27 to pay their respects and show their support for Master Deputy Bradley Link and his coworkers at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Monday morning.
Residents stood in the rain along the 15-mile trek from Leesburg to Minneola, waving flags and saluting Link as he was transported to the funeral home handling his arrangements, bringing tears to the eyes of deputies and residents alike.
TAVARES, Fla.—Lake County Public Safety Communications (911) is experiencing intermittent outages due to Hurricane Debby. Residents may not be able to reach dispatchers in an emergency. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call the non-emergency number at 352-343-2101.
LEESBURG, Fla.—Lake County Sheriff’s Office fallen deputy Bradley Link will be transported to the funeral home handling his arrangements Monday morning.
Link will be escorted by his unit, LCSO Agriculture and Marine, from the Medical Examiner’s Office in Leesburg at 10 a.m. Monday.
The public may show their support for Link and LCSO by standing anywhere along U.S. Highway 27, south of Dixie Avenue in Leesburg to the city limits of Minneola.
TAVARES, Fla.—Each June, more than 40,000 amateur radio operators, known as “hams” set up temporary transmitting stations in public places throughout North America to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill, and service to our communities and nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933 and remains the most popular event in ham radio. The competitive aspect of Field Day is to contact as many other amateur stations as possible between 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The public is invited to attend the event in Tavares this weekend that will showcase mobile command vehicles from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Amateur Radio Association (LARA.) It will be held at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Training Bureau and Lake Tech Institute of Public Safety Weapons and Driving Range, 13000 Frankies Road, Tavares.
LARA consistently wins top honors each year in Florida and North America. The club was established in 1952 by a local group of radio amateurs and now has a membership of over 150 “Hams.” LARA’s vast radio systems enable worldwide communications, amplifying the club’s impact and reach. For their life-saving work, hams worldwide have received commendations and international praise.
FLORIDA—The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting a license-free freshwater fishing weekend Saturday and Sunday
Florida residents and visitors of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to try recreational fishing this weekend and FWC has helpful resources for new anglers to get started.
Largemouth bass are Florida’s most popular freshwater fish and if you catch one 8 pounds or heavier, submit it to TrophyCatch. There is a special promotion this season where pink-tagged bass are swimming and worth extra prizes in five waterbodies across the state. Try your luck and you could even win sunglasses just for fishing in these five waters!
All other rules, such as seasons, bag and size limits apply during license-free fishing weekend.
Keep the fun going all year and buy a recreational freshwater fishing license, to renew or purchase a fishing license, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
LITTLE LAKE HARRIS, Fla.—The unofficial start to summer is upon us and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding boaters to stay safe during National Safe Boating Week that begins Saturday.
Inside Lake had the opportunity to speak with FWC’s Kristen Turner and Chad Weber, along with Hunter Bland of the National Safe Boating Council Friday about staying safe on the waterways. Florida is the “Boating Capital of the World,” with more than 1 million vessels registered in the state, according to FWC.
Florida does have some requirements for boating but common sense and taking simple precautions can prevent a tragedy. A boating safety course is required for anyone born after Jan. 1, 1988; classes are available in classroom setting and also online, FWC-approved courses can be found here.
All vessels are required to have personal flotation device (PFD) for each person onboard and FWC encourages everyone to wear it at all times. In an emergency situation, people often won’t have time to put on a PFD. This reporter and Inside Lake Photographer Bonnie Whicher were required to wear a PFD during a ride-along Friday. The weather cut the ride-along short, but Weber used that opportunity to educate the Inside Lake staff on how to handle changing weather conditions.
FWC Officer Chad Weber PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake
“You need to know where you are at. (Bad weather) is one of the hidden dangers (people) overlook,” Weber said. “The best thing to do is get out of the water.”
Bland said often homeowners will let a vessel stay at their dock to ride out a storm and he’s even known people to invite boaters in their home to ride it out.
“There are good people out there,” Bland said.
Filing a “float plan can also save your life, Turner told Inside Lake. Though not required, a float plan is letting someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. The United States Coast Guard provides a fillable PDF float plan and suggests you provide it to a reliable person, along with a photo of the vessel. While the information would be extremely helpful in an emergency, Bland stressed that something as simple as a text message letting someone know your plans, would suffice.
FWC Northeast Region Public Information Director Kristen Turner PHOTO: Bonnie Whicher/Inside Lake
Weber also suggested other things to have onboard, such as rain jackets, a cooler with water and a first aid kit; tools and extra fuses can also come in handy, Bland added.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla.—Caps will be flying through the air this week and next as Lake County Schools seniors say goodbye to high school and hello to adulthood. Graduations are scheduled to begin Tuesday with Tavares High School and will end with Lake County Virtual School next week. Schools are listed below in alphabetical order.
East Ridge High School—9 a.m. Wednesday at UCF/Addition Arena
Eustis High School—9 a.m. Saturday, at Eustis High School Panther Stadium
Lake County Virtual School—6 p.m. May 23, at Mount Dora High School Auditorium
Lake Hills School—occurred May 1 at Lake Hills Gymnasium
Lake Minneola High School—7 p.m. Friday at UCF/Addition Arena
Lake Success Academy—3:30 p.m. Friday at Lake Success Academy
Leesburg High School—8 a.m. Saturday at Leesburg High School Stadium
Mount Dora High School—8 p.m. Thursday at Mount Dora High School Stadium
South Lake High School—7:30 p.m. Wednesday at UCF/Addition Arena
Tavares High School—7:30 p.m., Tuesday UCF/Addition Arena
Umatilla High School—7 p.m. Friday Grafton Center Elks Club
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