Honoring K9 Sargent Sean Gannon - Operation Deep Blue 2025 Expedition.

About K9 Sargent Sean Gannon:

Born on August 22, 1985 in New Bedford, MA, Sean McNamee Gannon graduated from All Saints Elementary School in 1999 and Bishop Stang High School in 2003. Sean graduated with high honors

from Westfield State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, and minors in Spanish and psychology. Sean earned a Master’s Degree in Emergency Management with honors from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2011, and graduated from the MBTA Municipal Police Academy. His internship included the Nantucket Police Department, Westfield Police Department and at the Bristol County House of Correction. He held certifications as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Life Saving Instructor.

Officer Gannon started his career at Stonehill College in Easton, MA in 2007 as a member of Campus Police before joining the Yarmouth, MA Police Department (YPD) in 2010. Officer Gannon was part of the

Emergency Management Unit, a part-time member of the Proactive Anti-Crime Team, and was the first K-9 narcotics officer for YPD. After retiring the K-9 narcotics officer, Thor, Officer Gannon acquired a patrol dog, Nero.

K-9 Officer Sean McNamee Gannon, age 32, was murdered in the line of duty from a gunshot wound to the head on April 12, 2018 while serving a warrant with a team of officers in Barnstable, Massachusetts. K9 Nero was critically wounded but recovered from his injuries.

Sean leaves a legacy of high moral integrity, infectious humor, and collaborative work with colleagues. He enjoyed travel, working with his hands, donating his time to Big Brothers/Big Sisters and being outside. He loved spending time with his family and friends. Sean was deeply intuitive and inspired others, including incarcerated persons to be there best selves. Whatever Sean did, he gave 100% of himself.

Since Officer Gannon's untimely death, many tributes, memorials, academic scholarships and remembrances have been established in his name, most notably:

• The Sean M. Gannon Memorial Fund (GannonFund.org), a philanthropic, charitable trust

• Establishment of The Sgt. Sean M. Gannon K9/Police Officer Training Facility in Yarmouth, MA

• The K9 Sgt. Sean M. Gannon Bigs with Badges program by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Cape Cod, MA

• The K9 Sgt. Sean M. Gannon Pediatric Unit at Southcoast Health, New Bedford, MA

• The K9 Sgt. Sean M. Gannon Playground, New Bedford, MA

• The Sgt. Sean M. Gannon Memorial Songbird Sanctuary, So Yarmouth, MA, a respite site for first responders and all who wish to spend quiet time in a nature setting

• Enactment of Nero's Law in Massachusetts, a 2022 Act to provide advanced life support services to police dogs that are injured in the line of duty.

Sean is profoundly missed by his family, colleagues, friends and the community at large.

About Operation Deep Blue:

Operation Deep Blue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization which exists to increase awareness of law enforcement officers, other first responders and military service members who died in the line of duty, as well as raise funds to provide relief to their surviving family members.

Each year, Operation Deep Blue plans and organizes "The Expedition To Honor Our Fallen." Over a six day period, the Operation Deep Blue team paddles from Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville, NJ to Washington, DC. In addition to honoring all law enforcement officers, other first responders and military service members who died in the line of duty, each Operation Deep Blue team member selects an individual hero, who made the ultimate sacrifice, to honor throughout the expedition.

In preparation for the expedition, the team trains year-round to include paddling throughout the winter in sub-freezing temperatures. During the expedition, the team’s skills, physical endurance, mental toughness and commitment to honoring our fallen heroes are tested as they paddle as many as 10 hours each day in a variety of challenging and rapidly changing conditions.

The 2025 Operation Deep Blue expedition is scheduled for September 8th - 13th. This year's team is comprised of active, retired and former law enforcement, military and disaster preparedness & response personnel from various federal, state, county and local agencies. The Operation Deep Blue Board of Directors and team members serve in a 100% volunteer capacity, receiving zero compensation, and invest hundreds of hours each year in preparing for and participating in the expedition.

Your support is essential to the continued success of this worthy cause. Each contribution helps ensure that our fallen heroes are never forgotten and provides critical relief to their surviving family members.

Operation Deep Blue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered under (EIN) 84-3140657.

Your support is greatly appreciated and will benefit the surviving families of our Fallen Heroes.