Sister shares memories and legacy of Sgt. Cory Maynard

WILLIAMSON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Patricia Bennett sat down Monday at Three Guys where she last saw her brother, West Virginia State Police Sgt. Cory Maynard.

The restaurant was where he often came with his two children, his friends and his family. In that same restaurant, a beer has been placed where he used to sit.

On Friday evening, Maynard died after an ambush-type shooting in the Beech Creek area of Mingo County.

“He is going to be remembered for a lot of things -- being a state trooper, watching out for people, but also as a brother and a son and a father and a husband,” Bennett said.

Down the streets of Williamson and in the walls of Three Guys, Bennett has too many memories to count with her brother Cory.

“Two weeks ago we were here at Three Guys. I took him and his two kids out to lunch. I talk to him probably three times a day,” Bennett said.

Maynard leaves behind his wife and two children, who are 9 and 13. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family.

All proceeds from GoFundMe will go directly to Maynard’s wife Rachel and children for immediate and long-term support.

Now, Bennett sits inside with her friends, who were his friends, too -- remembering how Maynard would embarrass her in high school and joke around.

“He did the best ‘Sling Blade’ impression you will ever hear in your whole entire life,” she said.

But it was not only the jokes that made him stand out. Bennett said he treated the people he knew and met all equally and with respect.

“If you were the mayor or the little man that could not buy beer at Dano & Spano’s he would treat you with the same respect,” Bennett said.

Sgt. Maynard was a leader in the law enforcement community in Williamson. When he turned his blue lights on to rush to a shooting in the Beech Creek area, it would be the last time. Sgt. Maynard was killed in the line of duty, and Bennett said his character saved lives.

“My brother was the first one there. That is solely his character. He would if he could do it again tomorrow, he would have to protect those boys,” Bennett said. “It is tough because they are grieving, too, but they are also reaching out to us.”

Bennett said Maynard would worry if his children would be OK if something happened to him. If she could say something else to him, it would be this:

“That I love you and your kids are going to be OK and so will Mom and Dad and Sarah, and I am going to miss you,” Bennett said.

All the proceeds from GoFundMe will go directly to Maynard’s wife and children for immediate and long-term support.

A memorial service for fallen Trooper Cory Maynard will be held starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Mingo Central High School in Delbarton. Visitation will take place there from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday.

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