LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Four years after LAPD SWAT Officer Randy Simmons was killed, his widow is telling his life story.

Lisa Simmons says the new book, “41D – Man of Valor,” was originally meant to be a historical record for her and Randy’s two children and their future descendants.

“I wanted to put things down on paper for my kids, so they have a memoir of their father’s life,” she said.

41D refers to Simmons’ police radio handle.

The book contains memoirs of the 27-year LAPD veteran, to whom Simmons was married to for 17 years, and his life starting from when he was 14 years old and upset about his family’s move from Long Island, N.Y. to California.

Randy Simmons was shot to death during a raid of a house in Winnetka in 2008, the first LA Police SWAT officer to be killed in the line of duty. In the wake of his death, it became known that Randy Simmons was a gentle giant of a police officer, a devout Christian who prayed for the victims he saw and the people he arrested, and a role model for the children he mentored.

Lisa Simmons is holding a book launch and signing party Friday night, with RSVPs requested via the book’s Facebook page.