The South Carolina Department of Public Safety mourned the death of trooper Daniel Keith Rebman, Jr. who was buried Sunday in Greenville.
The funeral services were held at Bob Jones University, and graveside services were held at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Rebman died after his patrol vehicle was struck early in the morning on Oct. 24. He is the 51st state trooper to die serving the state of South Carolina, according to the SCDPS.
A sincere thank you @NCSHP for providing your caisson for Trooper Rebman’s funeral. #Handsalute #Honor pic.twitter.com/hsXdKZEjUF
— Trooper Bob_SCHP (@TrooperBob_SCHP) October 29, 2017
“Tuesday was a reminder that while – yes, we are strong – we are not invincible,” SCDPS director Leroy Smith said in a news release. “We too are subject to the same forces of nature, accidents and violence – just like those we protect. I believe that is why ‘Blessed Are the Peacemakers’ is such a comforting verse at a time like this. It is these special people – the peacemakers – who are so blessed because they risk their lives for you, and me and for strangers. Trooper Rebman was doing just that on October 24, 2017.”
Rebman, 31, died from injuries sustained in a line-of-duty collision. Rebman was stationary in his Patrol vehicle in the emergency lane of I-385 near Bridges Road when his Ford Taurus Patrol car was struck from behind by a pick-up truck around 12:23 a.m., according to the SCDPS.
Private visitation services were held Saturday for family and friends of Rebman, who is survived by his wife, Michelle, and three young daughters – Olivia, Charlee, and Kennedy.
Rebman always desired to serve his community, and shortly after moving to Greenville in 2011 he began to pursue a career in law enforcement, according to his obituary posted by the Mackey Mortuary. After serving as a dispatcher for the Highway Patrol for 4 years, he graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in 2016, at which time he was awarded the Captain Cecil Dilworth Marksmanship Award.
Rebman joined South Carolina Highway Patrol in September 2016. The Orlando, Fla. native began his career in Troop Six/Charleston/Berkeley before being transferred to Troop Three/Greenville.
“He believed in his mission and he accomplished his mission,” Smith said of Rebman, who was given full honors by the South Carolina Highway Patrol. “And for that, the state of South Carolina says a humble and grateful ‘job well done, Trooper Rebman.’ ”
Members from more than 15 state patrols from as far away as California came to pay their respects along with hundreds of state and local officers.
“Trooper Rebman died as he lived – a quiet hero – to his family, to his fellow troopers, to his church, and to his community,” SCHP Col. Chris Williamson said in a news release. “Trooper Rebman’s death was a cruel reminder that this job doesn’t come with promises or reassurances. But I want to remind our men and women in uniform that even through this sense of tremendous heartache and loss, we must continue to lean on each other and assume the watch from this point forward.”
Michelle Rebman shared an example of law enforcement rallying around the family of their fallen brother. She posted a picture on Facebook Saturday of a fellow trooper sitting on the grass with one of Rebman’s daughters.
In addition to his wife and children, Rebman is survived by his parents, Daniel and Theresa Rebman, of Georgia, a sister and many extended family.
Related stories from The State
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Another example of the support the Rebman family and his brothers in blue have received is by the amount of money raised on a gofundme page. In five days of donations to help support Rebman’s family, $43,897 of $50,000 goal has been reached.
In addition to the donations, which can still be made at https://www.gofundme.com/trooper-daniel-rebman, donations can also be made to the Trooper Keith Rebman Memorial Fund. Those should be made out to: LECSC – Trooper Keith Rebman Memorial Fund, can be given at First Citizens Bank branches in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
Rebman, who lived in Taylors, died of blunt force trauma, Greenville County Coroner Parks Evans said.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the collision.
Law enforcement gathered from far and wide in the Upstate as family and friends say goodbye to @SCDPS_PIO Trooper Daniel Rebman Jr. #LESM pic.twitter.com/nXioFIKIsK
— Lexington Sheriff (@LCSD_News) October 29, 2017
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