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Jason Crisp's brothers open up: 'He was my idol. I love him'

MARION, N.C. — One week after their brother was shot and killed in the line of duty, Eric and Brian Crisp showed Channel 9 pictures of their brother, Jason, and talked about the man they consider a hero.  

"He was my idol. I love him. He was an awesome guy.  He believed in second chances," said brother Eric Crisp. "I'm going to live my life for him from here on."

"Jason loved his family. He loved his wife and his two sons. There's nothing he'd rather do than take his sons fishing," said brother Brian Crisp.

SPECIAL SECTION: Jason Crisp -- Killed in the line of duty

Brian remembered how Jason encouraged him to enter law enforcement working with him at the McDowell County Sheriff's Office.    

Years later when Jason became a law enforcement officer with the U.S. Forest Service the two would work side by side with Jason's dog, Maros, to find missing hikers.  

"He loved finding people lost in the woods just whatever it was. Many of the time he would call me and say he was going on a manhunt and there was nothing like being in the woods and finding someone to Jason," said Brian Crisp.

IMAGES: Jason Crisp funeral ceremony

Crisp was doing that last week in Burke County looking for Troy Whisnant, who police said had shot and killed his parents at their home north of Morganton.   

A neighbor had spotted Whisnant running out of a shed and that's when Crisp and other officers began searching for him in the woods along Fish Hatchery Road.  

Eric said he tried to call his brother after learning an officer had been shot but the call went to voice mail.  

FACEBOOK: Memorial page for Jason Crisp and Maros


Understandably, neither brother wanted to talk Wednesday about the shooting that has devastated their family.   

But both men do want to thank other law enforcement and the entire Marion community for their support and love.   

They saw it up close during the memorial procession -- people who didn't even know Jason standing in freezing temperatures for hours to honor him.  

"It was so overwhelming to see that that many people cared. He touched that many people in Jason's life that they were there to pay respect for him," Brian Crisp said.

"I want to thank everyone for doing what they done and the support they gave.  It (blew) me away the support they gave," Eric Crisp said.

As for Maros, Crisp's brother Eric said Jason had his K-9 companion for about seven years.  "Maros was truly his partner. At home as well as work, they spent a lot of time together," Eric said.

Crisp was laid to rest Monday following a funeral in Marion.

Watch Channel 9 reporter Dave Faherty's full story at 6 p.m.

For more raw videos from Jason Crisp's funeral click here.