Fallen Bristol officer remembered by close friend

MIDDLETOWN, CT (WFSB) - A close friend of one of two fallen Bristol police officers is recalling fond memories.

Jon Faass said he new Lt Dustin DeMonte well.

Faass spoke with Channel 3 about who DeMonte was and how he has been mourning his loss.

About 30 years ago, he said their bond started on the Pat Kidney t-ball field. Faass and DeMonte were teammates.

That friendship kept going through high school and even as adults. The two friends still made time to meet up and play.

“Just his presence. Just making fun of each other and just having a good time, playing the game and being around each other,” Faass said when asked what memories stuck out to him.

Two weeks ago, he lost his friend, a guy Faass said would give him the shirt off his back and expected nothing in return.

“Just a natural friend,” he said. “Just a role model with a big big heart, and it’s kind of how he always was.”

Faass texted DeMonte that Thursday morning when he heard three Bristol police officers were attacked.

“Sending prayers to you and your family. At home and at work,” the text read.

A few hours later, Faass was told why DeMonte didn’t respond.

“Really doing the best that you can day by day,” Faass said. “Definitely had moments where if I sit and think for a while, or have some downtime, I start to tear up and stuff like that. So, just really try and remember the good times we had.”

Many of those moments were at Kidney Field, the place Faass rushed too when he learned his lifelong friend was gone.

“I sat there for about a good hour just being here,” he said. “This is where we had a lot of memories.”

Now Faass said he wanted to keep those memories alive, especially for DeMonte’s two kids and the one on the way.

Faass also has two children around the same age, something they bonded about.

“I just want my kids to be as good person as he was,” Faass said. “I know his kids will be the same.”

He said he has been in contact with DeMonte’s family and they were hoping to plan play dates for the little ones to make sure he is not forgotten.

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