ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — BackStoppers announced it will assist the family of a St. Louis County Police Department officer who died in a car crash on Oct. 11.
James ‘Mitch’ Ellis Jr., 49, died from his injuries in a crash when a driver passing another car hit his car head-on.
Ellis is survived by his wife and five children.
He joined the department in January 2011 and was most recently assigned to the Division of Patrol, City of Jennings Precinct. In 2012, he earned a ‘Lifesaving Award’ for performing CPR on an unresponsive man.
Ellis was an active duty United States Marine from November 1992 to August 1996. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 2001 to 2005. He was deployed to Iraq as a squad leader from January to November 2011.
The BackStoppers’ assistance is immediate and ongoing. Upon the death of a police officer, firefighter, publicly-funded paramedic or EMT, his or her family receives a check for $10,000 from The BackStoppers with assurance of further help.
Within a few weeks, The BackStoppers’ representatives meet with the surviving spouse to identify the family’s other financial obligations. The organization’s goal is to make the family debt-free, and then to provide ongoing support for education and other extraordinary expenses.
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