Family Shares Memories of Delaware County Deputy Who Died

Family remembers Blake Reynolds — WISH-TV

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Delaware County Deputy Blake Reynolds died last week after he was hit by a truck while helping another driver on the side of I-69.

Corporal Reynolds’ parents and brother sat down with News 8’s Melea VanOstrand.

“When Blake walked into a room, you knew he was in the room,” said Bruce Reynolds, Blake’s dad. “He was funny. He was hilarious. He just had this grin, this smirk, it was a crooked smirk. When you knew he was doing that, he was thinking about or doing something ornery.”

Blake’s mom, Melissa, says she fondly remembers him sending silly memes and videos in their family group chat, and would often call to check on his family whenever there was an accident near where they lived or worked.

“I wish some of the things that we found out recently about how he has served this community, I wish we knew those then, so we could’ve told him how proud, we always told him how proud we were, but specifically about things that we had found out recently that he had done,” Melissa said.

Blake loved watching scary movies, Batman, and Star Wars. He also loved playing the guitar and spending time with his loved ones.

Blake’s younger brother Dustin says they’ve always been close, but in recent years, they’ve bonded even more. He says he’ll miss calling his brother late at night to hear his work stories and talk about life.

“I was always kind of jealous of that,” Dustin said. “He was out there serving a community we grew up in, serving people that we’ve known our whole lives. And I enjoyed hearing those stories, and even today, those stories keep pouring in.”

Bruce is the chaplain for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. He says the last time he saw his son alive was when he got to join him for a police ride-along on Nov. 6. It reminded him of the one-on-one time they would spend together when Blake was a kid.

“A lot of dads don’t get that opportunity,” Bruce said. “That can’t be taken away from me. It’s always here.”

Blake’s parents were in Virginia watching Dustin graduate from the DEA Academy when they heard about the early morning crash.

“The fact that Blake gave his life doing what he loves has been a little bit better for us,” Bruce said.

“He did everything right as a law enforcement officer. It was just a senseless, horrific tragedy, and that’s what makes me angry. There’s no reason this had to happen,” Melissa said.

Blake’s visitation ceremony will be at Grace Baptist Church in Muncie, the church his wife Allison grew up in.

“We are privileged, thankful, honored to be able to do this for the family and the community,” said Associate Pastor David Warren, of Grace Baptist Church. “We have a lot of respect for and appreciate law enforcement and the first responder community in general. This is just a blessing to be able to do this.”

The Reynolds family says they feel supported by their law enforcement family and the community.

They hope to continue to keep Blake’s memory alive.

“Suggestions of maybe having a day in Delaware County once a year in his name, to having maybe a highway in his honor named after him,” Bruce said. “No matter how proud you are, and how awesome it is, I’d still rather have my son. I just want him back.”

Reynold’s visitation ceremony will be Friday at Grace Baptist Church, and his funeral service will be held at Delta High School Saturday.

SEE ALSO