On December 15, 2010, the United States Border Patrol lost another dedicated agent in the line of duty. Brian Terry paid with his life to preserve our safety along the Nation’s border. His death rocked the world, stoking question after question surrounding his murder and the controversy that followed. The lives of his family were forever altered. A son, a brother, and a friend—gone. And the Border Patrol family had lost one of their own.
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Holly Schadt remembers December 15, 2010 vividly. Having just given birth to her second child, she remembers preparing for Christmas with her family. Her husband, a teammate of Brian’s took time off to welcome his new son. “I remember the very moment my husband heard about Brian’s murder.” Holly said, “He froze, but only for a moment.”
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Time stood still, followed by a flurry of non-stop phone calls. Her husband didn’t give it a second thought before jumping into his uniform, gathering his gear, and joining the team to search for Brian’s murderers. She kissed him goodbye while holding their 4-day-old son in her arms, and then he was gone for days. “I couldn’t stop crying,” she said. “Here I was, holding my newborn while a mother in Michigan had just lost her son.”
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In the months that followed, the Border Patrol community worked on healing. While Brian’s murder faded from the headlines, it was never far from Holly’s thoughts. She often talked about it with her girlfriends—fellow Border Patrol wives. During their regular workouts, they spoke about doing something to honor Brian’s memory. And from this singular loss, an ember sparked, eventually growing into a cause that would honor not just Brian, but all men who have perished in the line of duty serving Tucson Sector’s borders.
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Holly, along with her friend and fellow Border Patrol wife, Kelley Meshirer, founded the Annual Tucson Sector Border Patrol Memorial 5K. During the planning of the first race, the Border Patrol endured another painful loss with the death of Nick Ivie. In an incredible show of support, 652 racers attended the first event, raising nearly $30,000 to assist Southern Arizona Border Patrol families in need. The race continues to attract hundreds of participants and spectators each year, with over 2,000 runners crossing the finish line in just six years.
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As their efforts grew, Kelley’s background in nonprofit management played a key role in launching BP101Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to remembering, honoring, and celebrating Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents who have fallen in the line of duty. The organization raises funds to assist local Border Patrol families through financial assistance to dependents of fallen agents and a growing scholarship fund benefiting Border Patrol spouses.
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To date, BP101Fund has raised over $200,000—with several thousand dollars disbursed directly to the families of fallen agents. Additionally, $5,209 has been granted to The Brian Terry Foundation, $3,981 to the Border Patrol Foundation, and the remainder sits in a scholarship fund, waiting to be awarded. In 2016, BP101Fund proudly awarded its first scholarships to Border Patrol spouses.
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"It is terribly sad to lose one of our own,” says Kelley. “Since Nick’s death, we’ve lost another four great agents: Alexander Giannini, Manny Alvarez, Rob Hotten, and Luis Peña. And before Brian’s murder, we lost fine men who worked hard to keep us safe. That is not lost on us. My own husband had a near-death experience serving as an agent in Tucson Sector. We don’t take their sacrifices lightly, and we are honored to remember them.”
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But the losses didn’t stop there.
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While Border Patrol agents give so much to protect our nation’s borders, their work continued through the pandemic—a time that brought new challenges and dangers. In the years that followed, we endured the heartbreaking loss of four more agents due to line-of-duty deaths: Daniel Cox, Chad McBroom, Anibal "Tony" Perez, Martin Barrios. Our most recent loss was Freddy Ortiz. Each name added to the list of fallen heroes is a devastating reminder of the risks these men and women face every day.
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Their sacrifice fuels our mission. At BP101Fund, we remain steadfast in our commitment to never forget those who have laid down their lives in service. We continue to honor their memory, support their families, and rally our community to stand behind those who dedicate their lives to protecting our borders.
This is why we do what we do. In 2023, Holly and Kelley passed the torch to longtime volunteer and dedicated supporter of BP101, Jessica Thomas. Today, Jessica, Holly, Kelley, the BP101 Fund Board, and a committed team of volunteers continue this mission with unwavering dedication. None of us receive any form of compensation—because this is more than just an organization; it is a labor of love for those who have sacrificed everything for us. We believe wholeheartedly in supporting the families of our fallen heroes and ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. We are deeply grateful for the incredible supporters who stand with us in honoring Tucson Sector’s fallen Border Patrol agents. Thank you for partnering with us to bless these families and keep their legacy alive.
​​​​Though they may be fallen, they will never be forgotten. Honor first. 💚🖤💚🖤​
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