TOLEDO, Ohio — It's been three months since Toledo Police Officer Anthony Dia tragically lost his life in the line of duty.
Officer Dia was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call on Independence Day. He left behind a wife and two sons.
Now, two artists are honoring him by painting a mural on Laskey Road, right between Douglas and Jackman roads.
The Dias contacted Dean Davis and Mike Osborne so they could paint the mural. The artists say they were honored to do the job and wanted to create something memorable.
"The conversations with the family have been amazing. We want to honor him in the best way possible," Davis said.
Davis and Osborne collaborated on the mural to paint a portrait of Officer Dia accompanied by the Toledo skyline.
The words, "Tell my family I love them" are painted at the bottom of the mural. Those were Officer Dia's last words.
The artists hope the painting brings unity to local communities that have been divided. They added they want it to serve as a reminder for people to work together for the greater good.
"The mural means a lot. It's an opportunity to pay homage to Anthony and his family. It also gives us an opportunity to create a symbol of artwork to bridge the gap in the divides we are having right now in society," Davis said.
The mural is expected to be done by Friday. Everyone is welcome to stop by and check it out.
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