SARASOTA, Fla. — After stage four cancer diagnosis, Bradenton Police Sgt. Lee Cosens was not given a lot of time.
What You Need To Know
- Bradenton Police Officer and U.S. Army veteran Lee R. Cosens passed away April 16, 2023 from kidney cancer
- Amy, his wife, and their 7- and 8-year-old daughters placed some of his remains into an eternal reef, which now sits underwater in the Silvertooth Coral Reef
- An Eternal Reef combines a cremation urn, ash scattering, and burial at sea into one meaningful, permanent environmental tribute to life
- As of 2023, more than 2,500 Eternal Reefs have been placed in about 25 locations off the coasts of Florida (the panhandle, Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast), Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia
For just over two years, his family lived a motto they called, “Do the Things.”
“We lived a life in two years. I always tell people to buy the tickets, take the trips, do the things,” said Amy Cosens, his wife.
But on April 16, 2023, Lee passed. Two weeks before, he told his wife he wanted part of his remains to be turned into an eternal reef in Sarasota.
“In the end, he said I want somewhere the girls can visit. The cemetery is one thing, but I want somewhere where the girls can go to feel like I am there,” said Amy.
This month, Amy and her two daughters Savannah and Margaret showed up to Eternal Reefs to fulfill his wish. It is a four-day process that begins with mixing the cremated remains into cement to be placed into a porous reef ball.
Those large balls are then placed into the Silvertooth Coral Reef site to help preserve and help marine life. The ocean is a place Lee always had a connection to.
“Lee was larger than life. He was one of the best people I have ever met at switching between police officer and dad. He could be a tough guy police officer when he needed to be, and he also had a giant heart when he needed that also,” said Amy.
After mixing in the remains and decorating the reef ball with mementos, the family waits for a few days for it to dry. A few days later, they boarded a boat to see the large ball placed in the ocean.
The ride out to the reef is usually solo, but when other police agencies heard, they showed up in force.
“It is amazing,” said Amy, looking out at eight different boats with lights on, escorting them to the reef. “They talk about it being a brotherhood, and it truly being a family, and this is such a good reminder for us, for myself and for the girls. It is truly a family.”
When the time came for Lee’s reef ball to be placed in the ocean, Amy and the girls watched, sad but hopeful.
“I am hoping when that time comes that we will be able to get them scuba certified, and we can come out, and at that point it will hopefully just be overflowing with fish and creatures,” said Amy.