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North Myrtle Beach was adorned in blue this January to honor Sgt. Gordon Best who died on New Year's Day 2021.

Best, a North Myrtle Beach police officer, was responding to a call to the Barefoot community at around 4 a.m. when he lost control of his squad car and struck a utility pole. He was 30 years old.

Patrick Wilkinson, a K9 handler and now public information officer for NMBPD, knew Best well.

鈥淗e was just a very capable, very exceptional person. And a very humble person at that,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know of anybody that wouldn鈥檛 have done anything in the world for him. It鈥檚 a little bit of a kick in the gut to talk about him.鈥�

Best was the first NMBPD officer killed in the line of duty, and it shook the department.

鈥淵ou have somebody that goes to work one day and doesn鈥檛 come back home,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淎nd there鈥檚 two little kids, his wife, his mom and dad and everybody else waiting for him. And it鈥檚 gone. He鈥檚 gone.鈥�

The blue ribbons started as a way to show community support during Best鈥檚 funeral procession and 鈥渓ast ride.鈥�

鈥淓verybody was out on the streets waving at the family, saluting the police officers. It was a long caravan with fire trucks, police officers from the county, the state, everyone,鈥� said Tracie Ross, an organizer of the blue ribbon campaign.聽鈥淪o what we did is we put the blue ribbons up along the whole route because we knew where it would be. We put ribbons everywhere we could. It was only 98, but we were proud.鈥�

The ribbons have become more abundant each January since. The plastic blue ribbons adorning utility poles and trees could be seen all around the city. What started as 98 ribbons has grown to 1,300. Ross is close with Best鈥檚 mother, Renee, and has a son who is a police officer the same age as Best. She said the blue ribbon remembrance campaign is dear to her.

鈥淕ordon was born in November. My son was born in January. Renee and I were both working at the city and both of our boys became police officers,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淪o when that happened on January 1st, it kind of hit me like that could have been me.鈥�

In addition to raising awareness, the blue ribbon remembrance campaign also raises money. Individuals can buy bows to place on their mailbox for $25 and businesses can purchase bows or a yard sign and bows for $100.

Proceeds go to the North Myrtle Beach Police Foundation. Ross, who is the president of the foundation, said the community has been extremely generous and that the foundation has raised about $15,000 this year. The foundation gives financial assistance to officers who are out of work due to an injury or sickness or similar situations.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like an officer distress fund,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淚鈥檒l give you an example. If my house were to burn down or if a disaster happens and I鈥檓 in a bad spot, that foundation can assist officers or their families.鈥�

Ross said at first, she asked the Best family if they could benefit from the funds raised, but that they refused to accept any money. She says the Best family loves seeing the blue ribbons and helps put them out each year.

鈥淲hen his mother got that phone call that morning, it changed her life,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淚n this, it gives them a little bit of hope and a smile or a little joy to their heart that they know that their son is never forgotten.鈥�

Wilkinson said that when he remembers Best, he is reminded of a saying he learned at The Citadel that said 鈥渢he officer eats last鈥�, which means you take care of the people that work for you first, then yourself.

鈥淚 think Gordon definitely put that philosophy into play with what he did. He looked after his people,鈥� Wilkinson said. 鈥淚 even remember specifically one Christmas Eve, he had cooked for his shift. Me, a single father, he called to make sure I had something. He just always thought about other people.鈥�

Ross said that the blue ribbon campaign will continue in one way or another for the foreseeable future.

鈥淚 told his mother as long as I鈥檓 living, there will be a blue ribbon in North Myrtle Beach somewhere even if it鈥檚 just me doing it by myself,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淏ut I knew that the community would come together.鈥�

Wilkinson said the relationship between residents and police in North Myrtle Beach is something special.

鈥淭hose visual reminders seeing all the blue that is out there with all the ribbons. The emblem itself showing the magnificent relationship between the community and its police officers,鈥� Wilkinson said.聽鈥淚鈥檓 sure there are other places in this country that would do anything in the world to have that support and that kind of working relationship.鈥�