Fallen Lee County Sheriff’s Office sergeants honored in brick laying ceremony

A memorial ceremony honoring Southwest Florida’s fallen deputies was held on Monday. The brick ceremony honored Sergeant Steven Mazzotta and Sergeant William Diaz from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Both sergeants died from COVID-19 complications last year. Family, friends and law enforcement joined together to honor their lives. Monday’s ceremony ensures they’ll be remembered forever.

It is a day Sheriff Carmine Marceno never looks forward to but will never miss.

The sheriff joined with fellow Lee County Sheriff’s Office members to honor fallen sergeants Mazzotta and Diaz. The sheriff made it clear that saying goodbye to family members is not easy.

“Both Steven and William had bright futures ahead of them. They were unfairly taken by this cruel virus,” said Marceno.

Red clay bricks will commemorate their service to the people of Lee County. Their legacy will remain in place forever.

“It’s nice to see him memorialized like this. It meant a lot to us, family and friends,” said Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Scaduto.

Chloe Ermmarino, a friend of Sergeant Diaz, said he was caring, and loving and always put others first.

“Just get-togethers, going out to breakfast and restaurant we used to go to and we just bring up the memories we used to have with him there so I think it, of course, he’ll never go away and we’ll always think of him with everything we do so its just day by day everything that reminds us of him just stays there,” said Ermmarino.

Sergeants Mazzotta and Diaz died within two weeks of each other.

There are now 43 bricks laid in honor of fallen officers at the Southwest Florida Public Service Academy.