Four years after Henderson County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Hendrix was killed in the line of duty, his name will be immortalized for a bridge in Hendersonville.
According to a July 10 post on social media from the sheriff's office, on July 18, the bridge on U.S. 64 that is the overpass for Interstate 26 will be officially renamed the Deputy Ryan Hendrix Bridge. A dedication ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. July 18 at the entrance of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.
Parking will be available at the Hendersonville Board of Realtors.
"Deputy Hendrix's bravery and sacrifice touched us all deeply, and this ceremony will be a fitting tribute to his legacy," the sheriff's office's Facebook post said. "Join us as we honor his memory and the impact he had on our lives. Together, let's show our support for Deputy Ryan Hendrix and his family as we remember a true hero."
Hendrix was killed in the line of duty as he was responding to an armed robbery on Sept. 10, 2020. He was 34.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation passed a resolution on Feb. 1, 2024, to rename the U.S. 64 bridge in Hendersonville the Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Bridge.
In an interview with News 13 in February, Don Hendrix, the father of Ryan Hendrix, talked about that fateful night when his son was killed.
“There was a breaking and entering of cars in a specific neighborhood, and he (the suspect) found a gun in one of the cars,” Don Hendrix said.
Hendrix said Ryan and two other deputies responded to the scene south of Fletcher. Hendrix said his son approached the suspect, who was sitting in the truck.
“His hands were up. They came up on the vehicle, and Ryan was up near the driver’s door. The man dropped his hand, picked up the gun and shot through the door and hit Ryan," Don Hendrix said.
Four years later, the family will get to witness their late son being immortalized.
"That he’s being remembered by the community he gave his life for gives us peace in our hearts," Hendrix said in the February News 13 interview.
STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOSDeputy Ryan P. Hendrix Bridge dedication date set by sheriff's office (wlos.com)
