Fallen Trooper's Wife: 'He Wanted To Be Governor One Day'

BEAR, Del. (CBS/AP) - The widow of the Delaware state trooper killed this week in the line of duty says her husband was proud of his job, wanted to get to know people so he could help them, and had dreams of becoming the state's governor one day.

Cpl. Stephen J. Ballard, 32, died Wednesday after approaching a vehicle with two suspicious people outside a Wawa convenience store in New Castle County. Burgon Sealy Jr. fatally shot the officer and was ultimately killed by police Thursday after a lengthy standoff. Authorities have not said anything about Sealy's possible motive.

Ballard's funeral will be held Friday, May 5 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront at 815 Justison Street in Wilmington. The viewing goes from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the service starting afterwards. His burial will immediately follow the service at Gracelawn Cemetery.

Ballard's wife, Louise Cummings, said in a telephone interview Friday that her husband was "very proud of his work in law enforcement," and wore T-shirts with the Delaware State Police emblem even when he was off-duty.

"He wanted people to know what he did," she said.

Six minutes after noon on Thursday, her life changed forever.

"I actually got a phone call from a friend that works for DSP and she actually asked where I was, what was I doing and so asking those questions, instantly, I knew it was him that was involved in the incident," Cummings said.

She immediately rushed to Christiana Hospital where Ballard was pronounced dead.

"I still can't even believe it. From when I entered the halls of the hospital, all the way up to where he was, just lines of state police and local government officials," Cummings said. "The love and support was amazing."

Cummings said the ride to the medical examiner's office was a surreal experience for her.

"When we were leaving Christiana and on 95 transporting his body, and to see, it was almost like the world stopped for 10 or 20 minutes, and just to see men and women and children out of their cars saluting and putting their hands over their heart," she said. "For me I really appreciate that."

Cummings said she let her 5-year-old daughter come to the hospital, but would not let her see her stepfather.

"She did come to the hospital. I did not let her see him because of the condition. But I did let her know that when he went out to work as he did every day, he got a boo-boo in his head and when he fell from his boo-boo that God caught him and God was taking him to heaven," Cummings explained.

She added that she is still processing her loss.

"What I will miss the most is when he comes into the house and his simple presence. Coming in to give me a kiss or a hug," she said.

The two met in 2013 at the graduation party of a mutual friend's son. She was told he was a "loving and kind man" and a "good man with a good job." What struck her most was that he was "just full of life," she said.

They enjoyed spending time at the ocean, going to the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach and listening to a calypso band or sitting on the boardwalk to people-watch.

He enjoyed trips to Philadelphia and older soul and R&B music, though his favorite artist was Prince. Together they visited Playa del Carmen in Mexico. And after they married in 2015, they honeymooned in Grenada in the Caribbean.

But winter was his favorite time of year, she said. An only child, he loved Christmas and spending time with family, including his 5-year-old stepdaughter.

"Holidays were always a big deal," Cummings said.

Cummings said her husband, a 2003 graduate of Bowie High School in Maryland, initially wanted to be a pilot but became interested in criminal justice in college. After he graduated from Delaware State University in 2007 he returned to mentor students because he wanted them to learn from his experience and stories, she said.

His friend Michael Woods, the best man at their wedding, said he paid his way through school working at Best Buy but could have had any career he chose.

"He loved helping people and he had a desire to serve," Woods said.

Ballard graduated from the police academy in 2009 and loved his work, his wife said. He also wanted the communities he served to have positive interactions with troopers, she said.

Ballard was involved in collecting food for families at Thanksgiving and kept coloring books and gifts in his patrol car, especially around Christmas, to give them to kids. He was especially skilled at "getting people to come to a common understanding," his wife said, and he enjoyed helping kids learn from their mistakes, she said.

"He was very interested in getting to know people so he could help them," she said.

Someday, she said, he hoped to be governor.

"He had plans to continue moving up in the ranks and always being a part of the DSP family and he wanted to be governor one day. Delaware is his home. He wanted to serve this community until the day he died and that's what he did unfortunately too soon," she said.

Cummings said she told her husband: "I think you should stick to community organizing." But he had higher aspirations. "I don't really know why," she said. "It was an innate thing."

"He wanted to effectuate change. He wanted to be able to control that on a higher level," she said.

Cummings said negative national news about law enforcement including police shootings discouraged her husband and it concerned him that people would not like the police, but she said that "never stopped him from being proud" of his work.

A memorial fund for Ballard's family has been set up at the Delaware State Police Federal Credit Union.

Wawa announced Friday that all 40 stores in Delaware will be collecting funds for the Stephen Ballard Memorial Fund through May 8.

Wawa is matching the first $50,000 in customer donations.

"Everyone at Wawa joins the entire community in mourning the loss of Cpl. Ballard and we want to extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Cpl. Ballard as well as to all of the Delaware State Police," said John Sharpless, director of store operations for all Delaware Wawa stores. "Cpl. Ballard's memory will live on forever. He was a hero deeply committed to the safety of his community. We hope the Memorial Fund serves as one small way for the Delaware community and all of us at Wawa to provide comfort and support to the Ballard family during this incredibly difficult time."

Wawa says that donations of $1 or more can be made at the register of every store. Checks can also be sent directly to the fund made out to the DSTA- Stephen Ballard Memorial Fund, PO Box 168, Cheswold DE 19936.

The Bear Wawa will re-open Saturday at 8 a.m.

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