'I just miss him:' Mother of fallen Deputy First Class Norman Lewis honors his legacy

Norma Lewis speaks on last year of healing ahead of 1-year since son's death

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Jan. 9 will mark the one year since Norma Lewis lost her son, Deputy First Class Norman Lewis. He was killed in the line of duty, hit on his patrol motorcycle during the manhunt for accused cop killer Markeith Loyd. 

"I just, I just miss him," Norma Lewis, said speaking at the Orange County Sheriff's Office Thursday morning. 

From his giant laugh to his giant hugs, Norma Lewis said there is still a giant hole in her life. 

"He would open up his arms and just wrap it around you and give you such a big hug, ugh, that I would never forget," she said with tears in her eyes. 

What gives her comfort is to give back by keeping his legacy alive. Norma Lewis said that since her son's death, she's learned new things about him, like how on his off-time he mentored students and made sure they had money for lunch.

She also told a story of how he bought diapers, cereal and milk for a mother who didn't have money at the store. 

"During the viewing, (that woman) got down on her knees and she began to thank us for Norman and she got so emotional," Norma Lewis said.  

So Norma Lewis  is keeping her son's memory alive by doing the same. 

Full Screen
1 / 5

"We were able to provide food for Thanksgiving for 18 families -- a complete meal," she said.

Norma Lewis also keeps in touch with the students NormanLewis used to mentor. 

She asked, as the community honors her son's sacrifice one year later, for you to do the same. 

"You don't know how lonely it is to be alone," Norma Lewis said, crying. "But a telephone call makes a difference, giving someone a hug means a whole lot for a person who hasn't had a hug, and that's what Norman was all about."