Walton County officials, first responders, family members and members of the community gathered at Wee Care Park in DeFuniak Springs on Wednesday to honor fallen Walton County Sheriff’s Deputy Will May by adding his name to the county’s permanent memorial recognizing law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Deputy May was killed on April 2, 2025, while responding to a disturbance call in DeFuniak Springs after serving more than 11 years with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

During the ceremony, the May family received state and federal proclamations recognizing Deputy May’s service and sacrifice. State Senator Jay Trumbull reflected on the significance of the memorial, saying, “No sign can ever replace what was lost, but memorials do matter. They remind future generations of the people who shaped the community through service and sacrifice.”

From HWY 331

We often meet our first responders on our best days and our worst. They are there when children are born, when storms move through, when accidents happen, and when someone needs help.

In Walton County, that work includes law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, and lifeguards who stand watch along our beaches. Each one carries responsibility most of us will never see up close, and each one shows up when it matters most.

We are grateful for those who serve our community with steadiness and courage. We also remember those who never made it home. May we never take that service for granted.