Community celebrates retirement of longtime Union County crossing guard

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Every morning, Jerome Sutton follows the same routine.

Before he even walks up to busy Wesley Chapel Road in Indian Trail, the morning greetings start rolling in for Sutton, a crossing guard turned local celebrity at Sun Valley Middle School.

“I love the kids, alright, I try to make sure they’re safe. And that’s my job,” he said. “Not trying to be Superman.”

It’s a career that’s brought him recognition and the gratitude of a community, like in 2019, when he received $10,000 and the key to the city for saving a group of students from a speeding car.

It’s also afforded him relationships -- from neighbors, to teachers, and even former Sun Valley Middle students.

Now, this chapter is coming to a close. When school lets out for summer on Friday afternoon, Sutton will work his last shift and retire.

“I’m just going to relax, I worked two jobs mostly all my life, alright,” he said. “So, you know it’s going to be a lot of relaxing.”

>> In the video at the top of the page, how countless families are using these final days to say ‘thank you’ and ‘see you later.’

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