New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

Editorial: Friendship can still exist, even when you’re doing a job

By Andre Jones | October 20, 2020 12:18 am

One of the things that we as people have to do from time to time is separate our friendship from our careers. While those friendships will develop and continue to be tested over time, a true friendship can be understood when there is a job that may force them to make tough choices. Such was the case with former Charles City Sheriff Javier Smith, who passed away this past week.

Javier was one of the first people I got to spend time with when I came on with the Chronicle. While I knew him before, just sitting down with him and seeing his way of thinking was one of those vibes that you knew he had good intentions and a good heart.

I will tell you a story that nobody has heard today. In 2012, Javier had to give a press conference on the unfortunate passing of Deputy Michael Walizer. While the other news outlets vamoosed to get out of there to get their story on air, I stayed behind because I knew the connection and love Javier had for his sheriff’s office family.

As I walked up to Javier, you could see the emotion because it was bringing tears to my eyes. He cried and I cried because he had lost a loved one. I hugged him and as I did, I tried my best to console him. But the first thing out his mouth was that he loved Michael. It shouldn’t have happened to him and rather it was him under his watch.

From there, Javier continued to work with the Walizer family. Making sure the kids were good, getting the youngest a replica vehicle, pushing for the renaming of a bridge. Javier did everything he could to make that Deputy Michael Walizer’s name would never be forgotten. And let me tell you something, he succeeded in that.

The Bible says that blessed is the man who lays down the life for another while believing in Christ, for they shall receive their eternal reward in Heaven. If anybody knows Javier like I had the privilege and honor to know him, he definitely laid down his life for others. He never swayed from his belief in God, and he never backed down from loving his family. That, my friend, is the true definition of someone who gave his all so that others could be better.

Javier was stern when it came to his career, but he was involved in his community as a human being. He wanted to protect the county of Charles City, and to do that, he had to separate his connections with others for the greater good at times. That is a lesson that we can take with us to this day.

We can always love each other. In fact, we can disagree with each other. But to grow, we must respect each other and learn to live as a solidified force. Understand that people don’t mind conversing and spending time with you, but there is a time and place for friendship and doing a job. And yes, both can go hand-in-hand at times.

Enjoy life, give back to others, and remember to love one another. Those were just some of the lessons that were taught to us by Javier. It’s a lesson we need to take with us into the future.