‘Left this world a hero’: North Myrtle Beach honors fallen officer during funeral
North Myrtle Beach police Chief Tommy Dennis ran into Sgt. Gordon Best in the department’s parking lot weeks ago. An innocuous conversation ensued spurred by the department’s plan to offer promotions.
Best wondered if he should try. He had only been a sergeant for two years. He was 30 years old. Was he ready?
Dennis hardly hesitated telling Best not only would he be lieutenant one day. He’d be captain after that. Best would then take Dennis’ job leading the department.
“I didn’t tell him this to make him feel good,” Dennis said. “It was the honest truth.”
That parking lot discussion was one of the final times the two men spoke. Best died weeks later on Jan. 1 in a car crash. He never became lieutenant.
“God had a different promotion in mind,” Dennis said.
The chief shared the story about a man he has called a “rising star” as he spoke during Best’s funeral Friday. Hundreds of family, local dignitaries and police officers gathered at the Alabama Theater to pay their final respects. Best was buried at a nearby cemetery.
His death is the first on-duty one for North Myrtle Beach police. Both of his parents worked for North Myrtle Beach police. Best was married to Taylor Best in 2015. Together, they had two children, Braxton and Blakely.
COVID-19 restrictions closed the funeral to the public and limited the number of officers inside. But, any police officer will talk about the “Brotherhood of Blue,” and his funeral was no different. Despite not being able to go inside, dozens of police gathered outside to watch the ceremony on a large screen and pay their respects.
Officers from Myrtle Beach to Columbia, from Asheboro, North Carolina to New York City, stood in the parking lot, together, braving the cold, to watch the funeral as it happened inside.
Dennis said about 3:40 a.m. on Jan. 1, North Myrtle Beach police received a report of individual yelling and making threats in the Barefoot Resort area. Best leaped from his seat at the department and ran to his patrol car. He wanted to help.
Officials don’t know what caused Best to veer off the road — which was wet from overnight rain at the time — and hit a utility pole on U.S. 17. He died at the scene near 37th Avenue South.
“Why was someone who was so young and the best among us, why was he taken so soon?” Dennis asked. “We all asked ourselves that, and we keep asking ourselves that.”
Best was on his way to approach evil, Dennis said, but he loved to serve his community.
“He was a peacemaker and he left this world a hero,” Dennis said. “He and his ultimate sacrifice will not be forgotten by any of us.”
Officers, friends speak
Lt. Dana Crowell and Sgt. Carrie Rose both spoke during the funeral and told stories about Best. Rose talked about how Best never turned down the chance for advanced training. He focused on the community service aspect of the job and wanted to change the perception some have of the police.
Just as quickly as the two raved about Best as a police officer, they highlighted the person he was. His goal in life was making sure his family was happy.
Best worked an overnight shift and made sure his wife had breakfast in bed in the morning, Rose said. He was her Prince Charming.
Crowell couldn’t remember when they talked about work, it was always him gushing about his family. Best was a devoted son, father and husband, she said.
“I can’t help but feel how grateful each of us is having known Sgt. Gordon Best,” Crowell said.
Orbie Smith taught Best when he was in third grade at North Myrtle Beach Elementary School. After his death, Smith said she was looking at various mementos, including a message he wrote at the end of the school year.
“You’ve helped me a lot this year. You’re the best teacher I’ve ever had. And I’ll always remember you,” Smith recalled it said.
Decades later, she had a message for Best, “You’ll always have a place in my heart, too.”
Best was a hard worker who put maximum effort into every assignment, Smith said. He was funny, kind and loved science trips.
When he died, Best responded to help people in need, Smith said. She said the funeral was a sad day, but they were grateful to Best and what he meant to everybody.
“Our memories of him,” she said, “are always going to be good and warm and happy.”
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 1:48 PM.
