1 00:00:13,222 --> 00:00:15,140 Sir, let me see your silent partner card. 2 00:00:15,140 --> 00:00:16,016 Yes, sir. 3 00:00:20,103 --> 00:00:21,230 Tell me about your silent partner. 4 00:00:21,230 --> 00:00:26,109 Sir, Agent James P. Epling was born March 9, 1979. 5 00:00:26,109 --> 00:00:28,195 He entered on to duty January 13th... 6 00:00:28,237 --> 00:00:31,114 They recovered his body three days later approximately... 7 00:00:31,114 --> 00:00:36,078 On March 9, 1979, James P. Epling was born in Bremerton, Washington. 8 00:00:36,078 --> 00:00:40,082 Agent Epling entered on duty on January 13, 2003. 9 00:00:40,123 --> 00:00:44,086 He was graduate of class 537 of the Border Patrol Academy. 10 00:00:44,086 --> 00:00:48,215 James, Jimmy as we all knew him, he was just an all-around great guy. 11 00:00:48,215 --> 00:00:52,010 Jimmy was one of those kind of guys who made everybody his friend. 12 00:00:52,094 --> 00:00:56,056 On December 16, 2003, at approximately 7:00 PM, 13 00:00:56,056 --> 00:01:01,061 after responding to sensor activity along the Colorado River near Andrade,California, 14 00:01:01,061 --> 00:01:03,188 Agent Epling was reported missing. 15 00:01:03,188 --> 00:01:07,150 I answered the phone, he tells me over the phone he's like hey... 16 00:01:07,150 --> 00:01:09,152 I think we lost Jimmy. 17 00:01:09,152 --> 00:01:13,282 I'm like what are you talking about lost Jimmy, it didn't make sense 18 00:01:13,282 --> 00:01:18,036 and then he tells me that Jimmy went in after a group 19 00:01:18,036 --> 00:01:20,080 on the river and they can't find him. 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,000 Agent Epling had apprehended two Chinese illegal immigrants 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,128 and bravely rescued another from drowning in the Colorado River. 22 00:01:26,128 --> 00:01:31,049 A massive rescue operation by BORSTAR, as well as multiple local, state, federal, 23 00:01:31,049 --> 00:01:34,177 tribal and foreign agencies was immediately initiated. 24 00:01:34,177 --> 00:01:36,096 His wife knew he was missing and everything 25 00:01:36,096 --> 00:01:39,099 and so myself and Ramsey and some other classmates, 26 00:01:39,099 --> 00:01:43,103 we stayed there through the night. I mean, it wasn't a - 27 00:01:43,103 --> 00:01:46,982 I guess, we weren't really really worried that something bad was going 28 00:01:47,024 --> 00:01:49,109 to happen, we were just more anticipating the phone call 29 00:01:49,109 --> 00:01:51,236 that hey you know Jimmys been found. 30 00:01:51,278 --> 00:01:56,074 It was around maybe 5:30 or so, I dozed off for a little bit. 31 00:01:56,074 --> 00:02:02,164 Woke up around 6:00 and still nobody had heard anything 32 00:02:02,164 --> 00:02:04,082 and that's kind of when it hit me that you know 33 00:02:04,082 --> 00:02:09,129 this is not really good, something really bad has happened. 34 00:02:09,129 --> 00:02:14,176 On December 19, 2003, at approximately 7:15 PM, with 35 00:02:14,176 --> 00:02:18,013 the aid of a underwater camera, Agent Epling's body was located 36 00:02:18,138 --> 00:02:20,140 29 feet deep in the Colorado River. 37 00:02:20,182 --> 00:02:23,268 The investigation revealed that Agent Epling died 38 00:02:23,268 --> 00:02:25,270 as a result of an accidental drowning. 39 00:02:25,270 --> 00:02:29,191 He had a big heart, he told me stories in the short time that 40 00:02:29,191 --> 00:02:34,029 he was working that one time they didn't make it to a young 41 00:02:34,029 --> 00:02:40,035 immigrant that died very, very close to the time that she was 42 00:02:40,035 --> 00:02:43,205 found, and he felt that if he ever had the opportunity 43 00:02:43,205 --> 00:02:47,167 to prevent that from happening again, that he would never lose 44 00:02:47,167 --> 00:02:51,046 another person and that played a big role in the day that he died. 45 00:02:51,046 --> 00:02:53,298 The impact of his death really hit home 46 00:02:53,298 --> 00:02:58,053 when a little more that one month later on January 28, 2004 47 00:02:58,053 --> 00:03:00,013 his son James was born. 48 00:03:00,013 --> 00:03:03,183 That's the blessing for me is that when I need that reminder 49 00:03:03,183 --> 00:03:06,019 I just look at them and I don't feel so sad. 50 00:03:06,019 --> 00:03:09,189 Anybody who has ever seen a picture of him just looks at them 51 00:03:09,189 --> 00:03:12,150 and they know that he's their dad. 52 00:03:12,192 --> 00:03:14,111 I wish we had known each other longer, 53 00:03:14,111 --> 00:03:16,071 I wish, you know, he was here today. 54 00:03:16,071 --> 00:03:22,035 Jimmy's life, there was a ton of meaning, there was a ton of purpose 55 00:03:22,035 --> 00:03:24,246 and it was cut way too short. 56 00:03:24,246 --> 00:03:26,123 He loved his job. 57 00:03:26,164 --> 00:03:30,168 He cared about his family and his wife and his children. 58 00:03:30,168 --> 00:03:34,005 You know, I mean, he was just one of those kind of people 59 00:03:34,089 --> 00:03:38,218 that you know, you miss every single day. 60 00:03:39,010 --> 00:03:41,179 James P. Epling was the first Border Patrol Agent to die 61 00:03:41,179 --> 00:03:44,266 in the line of duty following the formation of CBP. 62 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:48,145 We continue to honor his sacrifice and the legacy of all the men 63 00:03:48,145 --> 00:03:51,022 and women who have lost their lives in the line of duty 64 00:03:51,064 --> 00:03:53,150 and who have served our nation proudly. 65 00:03:53,150 --> 00:03:56,069 As Police Week approaches this year, we demonstrate our 66 00:03:56,069 --> 00:04:00,198 profound gratitude to James P. Epling and all of our fallen heroes, 67 00:04:00,198 --> 00:04:02,159 as well as show our enduring support for 68 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,286 their beloved surviving family members.