Family of fallen Kent Police officer establishes Diego Moreno Scholarship Award

The family of fallen Kent Police Officer Diego Moreno has established the Diego Moreno Scholarship to be awarded each year to a graduating senior from a Kent high school who has demonstrated a commitment to serving his or her community, and intends to use his or her education to make the world a better place.

A community fundraiser to help support the new scholarship is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at Kent-Meridian High School, 10020 SE 256th St. Tickets are $20 for a pasta dinner, a dessert-dash fundraiser and a program led by the family of Moreno and Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at the Kent Community Foundation website.

The scholarship was established with the Kent Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the greater Kent community since 1986. Since its founding, the foundation has awarded $372,400 in scholarships and $491,000 in grants. Donations to the scholarship can be made at kentcommunityfoundation.org/donate.

Moreno, 35, of Auburn, a married father of two young children, died in the line of duty on July 22. Moreno was inadvertently hit by a police SUV driven by a fellow officer involved in a pursuit of a pickup fleeing a shots fired report on West Meeker Street.

In the words of Diego’s mother Lizzie Lee, the scholarship will “honor Diego’s life through the powerful legacy he left. A legacy of love and service that must live on.”

The scholarship committee will include Lee; Diego’s wife Shelly Moreno; his sister Alejandra Moreno; a representative of the Kent Police Foundation; and two members from the Kent Community Foundation. The scholarship also is supported by the Kent Police Foundation.

“The establishment of the Diego Moreno scholarship ensures that his passion for community service, engagement with our youth and the pursuit of the American dream will live on through the exceptional students who will receive the scholarship,” Padilla said.

The scholarship can be applied to either a two- or 4-year program. Preference will be given to students who intend to pursue a career in civil service. Applicants must be graduating seniors from any high school in the Kent School District.

About Diego Moreno

Growing up in Venezuela, Moreno was raised to be the first to help, and he practiced this by always putting others before himself, according to his family. At his high school graduation, he was recognized for his personal dedication to exemplifying the pillars of an Ignatian education: conscience, competence, compassion and commitment.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was his high school’s patron saint, and Moreno lived and died following his principles to love and serve in all things: “En todo amar y servir.” His love and service are his legacy.

During his eight years as a Kent Police officer, Moreno served with compassion and chose assignments that put him in a position to care and help the members of his community. Through his work, he touched countless lives and earned many awards, including:

• Three Life-Saving Medals: one for saving the life of a boy who had drowned (2011); one for rescuing an elderly woman from a burning building (2016); and one for resuscitating a woman who had overdosed (2017)

• The Chief’s Award of Exceptional Duty: for crawling to assist other officers, after he was injured by a suspect, rendering him unable to walk (2015)

• The Award of Duty and Sacrifice (awarded posthumously).

In addition to his law enforcement service, Moreno volunteered with Shop with a Cop, served tables at the Tip-a-Cop fundraiser to support Special Olympics, and grew his hair for donation.