NCDOT: U.S. 64 bridge over Interstate 26 will be renamed Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Bridge
Sept. 10, 2020, was a day the parents of Henderson County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Hendrix, Don and Heidi Hendrix, will never forget — it was the day their 34-year-old son was killed in the line of duty after responding to a robbery.
"It was the saddest day of our lives," Heidi Hendrix said.
Three years and five months later, Feb. 1, 2024, will now be another day the family will never forget. On that day, the North Carolina Department of Transportation made it official, passing a resolution that the U.S. 64 bridge in Hendersonville that goes over Interstate 26 will be renamed the Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Bridge.
"Ryan's name will be honored for his sacrifice in serving Henderson County, and we are so comforted he will not be forgotten," Heidi Hendrix said. "We are thankful to all who have worked to make this happen."
His father, Don Hendrix, and his brothers, Jeff, Jamin, Don and Stephen, were at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office for the Feb. 1 Zoom meeting with the NCDOT, as it passed the resolution. The motion to pass it was made by former Henderson County state representative Chuck McGrady, who is a board member of the NCDOT's Road, Bridge, Ferry Naming Committee.
Also in attendance was Hendersonville City Council member Jennifer Hensley, who "got the ball rolling" for the renaming of the bridge, Don Hendrix said.
"It was very heartwarming to us that the community and the state should remember Ryan in this way, that his name is not forgotten," Don Hendrix said. "When someone gives their full service to the community and gives up his life, that is something very honorable. We need to honor the honorable people.
"We miss Ryan every day. We are not going to be here forever, and his memory should go on to the next generation."
More: Henderson County to dedicate Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Law Enforcement Center
Don Hendrix said the family wishes to thank Chuck McGrady, the NCDOT and the residents of Hendersonville and Henderson County, along with the Sheriff's Department.
"They have all been very supportive of us, and we appreciate that," he said.
According to past Times-News reporting, Ryan Hendrix served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years before joining the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office in June 2012. He served eight years with the Sheriff’s Office, rising through the ranks from detention officer to patrol detective and served as a member of the SWAT Team.
"Ryan wasn't afraid of anything," Don Hendrix said. "He was just one of the guys that when the shooting started, he'd run toward the action. There are certain people like that. Many of them are deputies, police officers and first responders. It's quite a calling for those people to do that."
More: Hendrix Bridge a step closer: Other bridges in WNC named after people
In May 2021, the Henderson County Law Enforcement Center was renamed the Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Law Enforcement Center in his honor, and just weeks after his death in September 2020, Blue Ridge Community College established the Deputy Ryan Hendrix Scholarship Fund to support students who wish to go through Basic Law Enforcement Training and enter the profession. Hendrix was a 2015 graduate of the program.
NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama told the Times-News on Jan. 30 that signs will be erected later at a date suitable to the family and the NCDOT.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: NCDOT approves renaming U.S. 64 bridge in honor of Ryan Hendrix
