A STORY OF RESILIENCE
Detective Tania Owen met Vickie Speed 10 days before the murder of her husband, Sergeant Steve Owen. These two women met at a fundraiser for Tania and Steve’s fellow officer and friend, Detective Mitch Speed, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer.
After the loss of both husbands, Tania and Vickie formed a bond and sisterhood most would never understand. Standing firm on faith, they have endured life’s hardships only by God’s grace.
Days and months went by of these two women sharing their struggles of heartache, raising kids, marriage and life with a first responder. Soon they were asked to share their testimony, stories, and life with two incredible men they called husband.
Time and time again a singular question kept arising “how did you two make it work?”
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
Tania and Vickie knew their perspective was valuable, as law enforcement wives. They went through everything, from the ups and downs of marriage to facing grief on a daily basis and learning to start life over again.
Their new book touches on all these things—emphasizing the raw truth of their experiences. They wanted to help other wives married to first responders by sharing their hardships and triumphs.
from the book
MEET THE AUTHORS
VICKIE SPEED
Author, speaker and law enforcement family advocate.
Vickie grew up in a desert community in Southern California. Raised in a home with her mom, stepdad and two siblings.
She spent thirty years working in Construction Accounting and Project Management.
Her husband, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Mitch Speed died July 7, 2018 from cancer related to work exposure.
Vickie is also serving as the CFO of the Owen-Speed Foundation.
TANIA OWEN
Author, speaker, and law enforcement family advocate.
Tania was born in El Salvador, immigrating to the US in 1974. She became an officer in 1986, starting at the Santa Monica Police Department. Since then, her career in law enforcement has spanned decades, serving the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She has had assignments in patrol, detectives and Bomb Squad K-9 Handler.
She is the wife of slain Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Steve Owen, who was murdered in the line of duty on October 5, 2016. She now serves as the CEO of the Owen-Speed Foundation.
RECENT PRESS
SHARING A MESSAGE
Tania and Vickie knew they had a higher calling in their lives. These two women knew they had an opportunity to help marriages, wives and first responders with the difficulties that come with this career, including the ultimate sacrifice that can happen: leaving your loved ones behind.
In addition to their book, they've spoken at large events about their experiences with resilience and how they overcame hardships.
WHERE WE HAVE SPOKEN
In January 2019, Help for Heroes requested Tania and Vickie share their story and testimony. With a little reluctance and not knowing if 10 or 100 people would attend, Tania and Vickie made a decision, if they could help one marriage it would be worth it. When discussing the topics, it was agreed complete transparency was the only choice if they were to share their stories.
With much surprise, Tania and Vickie filled an auditorium with 500+ people who welcomed and embraced their stories. This amazing evening along with a continued request to speak again, led to writing a book and filling the need to continue to help marriages and those struggling First Responders.
TOPICS
•Sanctity of marriage is being destroyed
•Breakdown of Family Structure
•Male role models lost in the home
•Losing faith in an uncertain world
•Defined marriage roles of a husband and a wife
•Infidelity
•Financial Issues
•Paying the ultimate sacrifice, losing your life in the line of duty.
TESTIMONIALS
"Although I was looking forward to listening to both Vickie Speed and Tania Owen, I was reluctant in thinking of how the speaking engagement was going to benefit me. Their stories of faith during tragedy were amazing and encouraging beyond my expectations. Both women provided such a raw and intimate experience that it spoke to my soul. Listen to their stories and message to re-center, focus and overcome the struggles life may bring you!"
-MSgt Carlos Najera, USAF (Retired)
"After listening to these two women’s testimony for their love of God in their marriages, I was inspired to do the same in my marriage."
-M. Mejia, Sgt. LAPD
"Having a personal relationship with both of these women and seeing firsthand the strength each of them showed for their husbands and children is a testament to their faith in Christ. Their losses were both unique. The life of a First Responder is hard and to keep a good relationship with your spouse and family is difficult. Listening to each of their experiences and applying many of their ideas and examples will only help in my own family units."
Aaron T. – Detective Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department
"Tania and Vickie took the stage and showed their most intimate, personal truths while they bared their souls to the audience. They invited complete strangers to see the deepest depths of their relationships with God and their late spouses.
Tania and Vickie were captivating. There was not a person in the room, who was not clinging to every single word each of these ladies spoke. More than once, their words moved everyone in the audience to tears (and at times laughter). Through the power of Tania and Vickie’s words, the audience’s perspective on life changed, even if ever so slight. It seemed as if everyone left wanting to improve some aspect of their lives no matter how small.
These women transformed on stage. I knew them for years but I saw a side to them I did not know existed and the power they exuded from their demeanor during their testimonies was something I never expected. These women became invincible forces of nature. I learned sides about both women I had never seen. Tania and Vickie took the audience on a journey and unfolded their life as if they were under oath. They taught all of us something about ourselves by speaking their true testimony with courage."
Jesse Chappell, Wife of Spokane Police Department, Officer