CASTAIC, Calif. (KABC) — A lasting legacy is now etched into the entrance of a popular community park in Castaic.<\/p>\n
The sprawling sports complex has been renamed for fallen Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, a park he knew well as a child.<\/p>\n
“By giving this park his name, we are saying that Ryan has not been forgotten,” said his brother, Chad Clinkunbroomer. “We are saying that remembrance is stronger than grief. Even in sorrow, we choose to build something lasting.”<\/p>\n
Ryan’s father, Mike Clinkunbroomer, said the park was a second home to his son growing up.<\/p>\n
“Before he had his driver’s license, I would drive over here to pick the kids up at a certain time. They never wanted to leave,” he said.<\/p>\n
Now, in his honor, Ryan will be connected to the park forever.<\/p>\n
For friends and fellow deputies, the sign is more than a memorial – it’s a responsibility.<\/p>\n
“People are going to see that plaque and want to know about him,” Deputy Zackery Gregg said. “That’s when we all come in and tell them about who he was.”<\/p>\n
Dozens gathered at the park Friday morning to honor Clinkunbroomer, a day filled with both pride and pain.<\/p>\n
Sheriff Robert Luna said the dedication is bittersweet.<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t be happier that we’re here today to dedicate this park to Ryan. If anyone ever earned it, it’s Ryan,” he said. “At the same time, I have a lump in my throat because it brings back bad memories.”<\/p>\n
Clinkunbroomer was a fourth-generation sheriff’s deputy.<\/p>\n
His career and life were cut short in September 2023 when he was shot and killed while sitting in his patrol car near the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station in what the department described as an unprovoked ambush.<\/p>\n
His family said they want the focus to remain on how he lived, not how he died.<\/p>\n
“I hope everyone who walks through this park feels something good here – hope, safety and connection,” his brother Chad said. “I hope children grow up playing under his name and learn, even without knowing his story, that this space exists because his life was valued and remembered.”<\/p>\n
The park that once brought Ryan joy as a child now carries his name and the legacy of service, selflessness and integrity he leaves behind.<\/p>\n
“The next time you’re traveling through Castaic, think of Ryan Clinkunbroomer. We hope your memories bring a smile before they bring a tear,” his father said.<\/p>\n
Ryan’s father joked that his son would not have wanted the honor, saying his name was too long to fit on a sign anyway.<\/p>\n
The family plans to nickname the complex “The Clink,” which will appear on youth league jerseys and shirts.<\/p>\n
In addition to renaming the park, the county is launching an annual scholarship in Ryan’s name to support local youth sports programs.<\/p>\n
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