Chicago Police Officers Cheer On Slain Officer's Son at Graduation

Alex Valadez Jr. and a friend pose with CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson at the boy's kindergarten graduation on Friday. Young Alex was born three months after his father, Officer Alejandro "Alex" Valadez Sr. was killed in the line of duty in 2009. | Chicago Police Department Facebook

Chicago, IL, June 4, 2016 -- He never got to meet or hold his son, but on Friday, the Chicago Police Department’s top brass stood in for him at his son’s kindergarten graduation.

Chicago Police Officer Alejandro “Alex” Valadez was 27 years old when he was killed in the line of duty in 2009, three months before his first child, Alex Jr., was born.

Officer Valadez was felled by a bullet while investigating a shots-fired call in Englewood.

On Friday, CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson led a delegation of police officers accompanied young Alex to his kindergarten graduation at Annunciata Church, 11138 S. Avenue G.

"He [Valadez Sr.] made the ultimate sacrifice and we need his family to know and we need Chicago to know that we will never forget because he did make the ultimate sacrifice," Johnson said in remarks to parents and children. "And it's just a shame that his son has to grow up without even knowing him because someone decided to use a gun."

Valadez’s former partner, Tom Vargas, who was there the night he was killed, told Fox 32 that looking at his partner’s son -- his godson -- was looking at a “mini-me of his dad.”

"He is a character. He's got the smile. He has charisma," Vargas said.

The officers cheered on young Alex and pinned badges on to his custom-made Chicago police uniform.

After the ceremony, the children were treated to a show of police horses, police dogs and a flyover by a CPD helicopter. The ceremony was organized by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Somewhere, his dad was smiling.