Corporal Michael Middlebrook was killed in the line of duty in October 2017. His widow, Adrienne Middlebrook, sat down and with KATC to discuss the highs and lows of the past 10 months.
“It felt like my world had ended like it had come to a complete stop. I didn’t know what to do afterward or what I was going to do. I didn’t know anything,” Middlebrook says.
Adrienne’s life hasn’t been the same since the night it stood still: October 1, 2017.
Michael Middlebrook was a husband and a father to his girls. A mentor and friend to many others. When asked about favorite memories of her husband, Adrienne Middlebrook reminisces on when he was around the most.
“Fishing, boiled crabs… I miss my boiled crabs because we would eat them every single weekend he was off and also you know… I’m lonely without my husband. He’s not here. I miss that feeling of having him here. I mean decision making sucks because he was always the person that made the decisions. So yeah, he was the go-to person for everything,” Middlebrook says.
For the mother of three, she says at home is where she feels it most.
“The house is really quiet right now because he would be outside fishing,” she says through laughter. “He made sure everything was done. He was just a good, good family man.”
Adrienne says her husband was the most selfless man she has ever known. Since his death, the community has shown her that was true, even away from the family.
“Every now and then, at home, I would see receipts and stuff, like he would purchase stuff from Walmart. One time he told me about a lady that worked there that wanted a watch and couldn’t afford it, and he bought it for her. Several times I would notice like our stuff around the house would be missing, like kid shoes. Some of my stuff and even, today I’m looking for it and I’m like that has to be my husband.” Middlebrook explains.
Corporal Middlebrooks stepdaughters Bianca and Chloe say losing Micheal was hard and seeing their mother continue to hurt, hurts them. Both girls explain that while their mom takes care of the adult responsibilities, they’ve taken it upon themselves to help their little sister Violet remember her father.
“She had told me she wanted a trampoline and she said she wanted to jump and go see her daddy,” Middlebrooks daughter Bianca says.
“It’s been different because I feel like with Micheal, he was always like a father figure to me a little bit. Well, actually, a lot because he has always been there for me,” Middlebrooks other daughter Chloe explains.
Adrienne Middlebrooks says the community has driven much of her strength. The way the community came together after her husband’s death, she noted, is what has helped her to keep going.
Through the pain, she says she realized Michael would have wanted her to do something good, the way he lived his life. The Middlebrook family has started a foundation to honor him. The foundation will help to take care of day to day needs of people in Lafayette.
“It’s just a chance to be out in the community giving back. I just want to pick up where my husband left off. I want to be out in the community helping kids, feeding families, and doing all of that,” Middlebrook said.
