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Unforgettable Night
Virtual Candlelight Vigil keeps promise to remember fallen officers
n BY DAN CAMPANA
The sound of water cascad- ing down the Gold Star Families Memorial provided a solemn soundtrack for an evening — one unlike any other — dedicat- ed to Chicago’s fallen officers.
In a year most people would like to forget, the important tra- dition that is the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s (CPMF) annual Candlelight Vigil con- tinued virtually as a testament to remembering 590 Chicago Police Officers who made the ul- timate sacrifice throughout the department’s long history.
“The motto of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is ‘Never Forget.’ Pandemic or not, we stand by that,” CPMF’s Brid- get Schuda said. “We did not want to miss the Candlelight Vigil, so we felt that by doing it virtually it would allow our Gold Star Families and Chicago Police Department to honor and remem- ber their fallen. We certainly missed being together in person, but are thrilled we were able to pull off a program that honored our fallen in such a crazy year.”
Over 90 minutes, thousands of viewers watched from afar as relatives stepped to a podium in the memorial park outside Sol- dier Field to read off the names of their loved ones and other
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officers. Superintendent Da- vid Brown recognized those families for the loss they en- dured, saying the oath of ser- vice each officer takes also applies to spouses, children and other relatives in the “blue family.”
Brown highlighted Ser- geant Clifford Martin and Officers Marco DiFranco and Ronald Newman as the three names added to the memo- rial for 2020. The three men each died of COVID-19 com- plications over the course of
15 days in April.
“These officers all served their communities with distinction.
They also lived full lives away from work,” Brown said.
CPMF Executive Director Phil Cline said the virtual event was about coming together for a united cause and dedication to honoring the memories of the men and women who died pro-
tecting the city.
“We honor their sacrifice and ensure this city and this family
that we are all a part of will never forget,” Cline said. Traditionally, the vigil is something of a reunion for Gold Star families as they offer one another hugs and smiles that show how deeply linked everyone really is. Michelle Perez, Gold Star