Oklahoma: OHP trooper's mom tries to find purpose in his death

The mother of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper who died in the line of duty last January has dedicated her life to honoring his memory, and trying to prevent any other parents from going through what she has experienced.

Trooper Nicholas Dees was directing traffic around a rolled over semi along I-40 in Seminole County when a driver who was updating social media on his phone struck and killed him, badly injuring Trooper Keith Burch as well.

It happened January 31, 2015, just days after Dees' 30th birthday. For Shelley Russell, Dees' mother, it's the day her world came crashing down around her.

She struggles with the loss of her only child every waking moment, she recently told KRMG.

"My counselor tells me not only am I a member of the 'losing a child club,' but I am now in the 'childless club.' I will never be called mom again, I will never get a Mother's Day card. I will never get another Christmas card from him - not ever being called 'mom' again... it's just not right."

So she has thrown herself into the struggle to build something positive out of the ashes of her life.

It begins with the Trooper Nicholas Dees Memorial Run, scheduled in Durant on what would have been his 31st birthday, January 23rd, 2016.

Russell, an avid runner herself, says there will be three distances.

The traditional 5K run will be combined with a special event she calls "Run the Badge."

It will be a distance of 7.31 miles, in honor of Dees' badge number 731, and she's challenging law enforcement officers across the state to participate.

There will also be a short, two-block "run" for children, which Russell has dubbed the "Nickeldoo run."

"Nickeldoo" was her nickname for her son when he was little; the short run is geared for Dees' children.

"He has one 9 (years old) and 3, and the little 3-year-old, I figured that's about as much as she can do," she told KRMG.

For the inaugural event, Russell is having a special medal struck which every person who finishes will receive.

She's also arranged for commemorative dogtags for all the top finishers of the events in various age groups.

And she has done all of that largely at her own expense, though she's hoping that as word gets out, people will donate to the cause.

She has gotten support from the Choctaw Nation, of which she is a member.

The goal is to provide scholarships for children of law enforcement who want to pursue degrees in Criminal Justice.

She's also working on an educational program for young drivers on the dangers of texting and driving, and she's trying to make it as emotionally impactful as possible.