Read Kassy Alia’s court statement: ‘It is not too late for our world’

The man who killed Forest Acres police officer Greg Alia in 2015 was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday.

Before sentencing Jarvis Hall in a Richland County courtroom, the judge heard from several family members, among them Kassy Alia, the slain officer’s wife of seven years.

Her statement follows here.

RELATED: Man who killed Forest Acres police officer gets life in prison

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Your honor,

Greg would often say I was his greatest joy. I always thought that was such a beautiful thing to say. My greatest joy. And it was true – he was mine, my greatest joy.

From the moment I met him, Greg changed my life. I don’t know if there is such a thing as love at first sight, but if there was, we had it. He brought me so much joy and light, so much strength. Loving him made me a better person.

I loved all of our seven years together, but especially our last year. Greg shined so bright as a dad. I think one of the best memories for many was the baby beard blog where Greg took a picture with Sal each day for the first month or so of Sal’s life. Every day with our little family of three was so joyful.

I remember driving home from a work trip in early September right before Greg died. I started to cry because I was so happy. I had everything I could ever want.

And I remember that last morning. Sal was not sleeping well, so Greg took him downstairs as he got ready for work. Around 6:30, he came into the room, handed me Sal and said, “I’m sorry babe I have to go.” He kissed my head and he was gone.

That was the last time I ever saw him.

Your honor, sometimes I picture what life would be like if he were never killed. Sal turned 6 months old the day he was shot. During those 6 months, he was an amazing dad, but Sal has changed so much. I wonder at times how he would be with Sal if he were here today. I hate that I will never know.

After Greg died, I was able to cope by thinking only of Greg. I watched videos of him over and over. I talked about him to anyone who would ask. I threw myself into volunteering and focusing on love.

And I survived by not thinking about Mr. Hall.

Your honor, preparing for today has been one of the most miserable experiences of my life. I knew that justice in a societal sense had to happen and I believe my husband would find today’s resolution appropriate justice. However, for me, it tore me to shreds.

Nothing can bring Greg back. Nothing can make up for what was taken from me, from us.

As the reality of the court date drew closer and closer, I felt immense pain. How could I face the man who killed my husband and go home and feel love and be the mom Sal deserves?

I struggled. There were nights I did not sleep. Days where I felt my heart rip to shreds. It was not until I began to think about Mr. Hall, really think about him, that I found peace.

Your honor, I struggled with whether I should speak today and if I did, what I would possibly say. I decided that I needed to speak for my son. I hope he never feels the pain that I have felt, but if he does, I hope he never feels retribution or vengeance. I hope he is able to redirect this pain towards helping others and that he always seeks to listen first as I hoped people would do for us. This message is for him.

So, I want to share how I made it to today in one piece. I was thinking one day about the court case and thinking about Mr. Hall. I started to picture him as a little boy – so filled with hope and possibilities. I thought about how I would feel if I were his mother, how crushed I would be by his actions. I thought about all that could have brought Mr. Hall to his actions on September 30 and while I don’t know his story, I know there are too many things in our world that can lead someone to pursue a life of crime and violence.

It was by thinking about Mr. Hall, by finding love in my heart for him, that I was able to find peace.

I hate that I cannot change the outcome today. I wish Greg were never killed. I wish I never had to be in a position to think about the outcome of the person who killed my husband. It is too late for Greg, it is too late for Mr. Hall. I hope with this resolution, he is able to find redemption in his heart.

But it is not too late for our world. And today I stand here committed to carrying forward my husband’s legacy of love and service. I promise to follow in his footsteps to the best of my ability to do what I can to make our world a better place. In doing so, I stand proudly next to the many other brave men and women who seek to do the same every day. And so your honor I also hope this message is shared with others – that though a resolution was reached today, our fight for good has only just begun.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Read Kassy Alia’s court statement: ‘It is not too late for our world’."