The family of an Oakland police officer who was shot and killed 10 years ago, has suffered another tragic loss.
Sgt. Mark Dunakin's widow was killed in a car crash last week, leaving their three adult children alone and on their own.
The first tragedy struck on March 21, 2009. That was one of the darkest days in Oakland police history. A convicted felon shot and killed four officers including Sgt Mark Dunakin and Sgt Ervin Romans.
That's how their widows, Angela Dunakin and Nicole Romans met and became close friends. Last week, another fatal incident upended the family. Angela was delivering cookies to her youngest son at Chico State when a truck slammed into her from behind while she was stopped at a stoplight.
Nicole Romans now knows the three Dunakin kids ages Anthony, 25, Sienna, 24 and Patrick, 19 will lean on her and their Roseville community.
"Her and I have literally been holding each other's hands these ten years. She's not just a friend, she became a best friend. She became a sister. We ended up moving to the same cities. We both left the Bay Area and moved up to Roseville together less than 3.5 miles away from each other a few years after our husbands passed. We've been on vacations, holidays, you name it, we've done it together, we're a family."
The Peace Officers Research Association of California is raising funds here for the Dunakin family.