Cub scout wins praise from police for his salute

October 19, 2012

Lane Snow saluted the entire two mile funeral procession for Trooper Andrew Fox last week.

WOODLAWN, Va.— They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But in this case, police had only word for a 9-year-old boy.

Last Thursday, Lane Snow stood outside his house on Route 58 in Carroll County. He was dressed in his cub scout uniform. He stood and saluted the two mile funeral procession of Trooper Andrew Fox.
"Cause I was sorry that Andrew Fox died," says Snow.

The salute meant a lot to troopers.

"When we passed by him it was an unbelievable moment and you know it just puts a big old lump in your throat," says Trooper Chris Thompson, "It goes right straight to your heart."


"Everybody is real touched by it and real honored that he would do that," says Senior Trooper Bryan Phipps.

On Monday night about 10 police agencies met Lane Snow at his cub scout meeting in Woodlawn.

They presented him with police patches, pins, pictures and other tokens of appreciation. His den leader told the crowd that Lane's salute wasn't easy.


The funeral procession was two miles long and took about 15 minutes to pass.

"Now that doesn't sound like a lot but for a little man holding his arm in a full salute that's impressive," says Den Leader Randy McKenzie.

His family says the salute was Lane's idea.

"I was very proud of him," says his mother, Melanie Snow, "I try to raise him right."

We asked Lane what he wanted to be when he grows up.

"I wanna be a policeman just like Andrew Fox," says Lane Snow.

The Virginia State Police will be happy to have him.

"I hope he does and I'll be able to go to his graduation when he graduates and that will be a great honor for me," says Trooper Thompson.

The picture of Lane's salute went viral online. It has been shared more than 50-thousand times on Facebook.

Trooper Fox's family saw Lane Snow on Route 58. A fellow trooper told us that Fox's widow was touched by the salute.

Copyright © 2012, WDBJ7-TV