Service for Officer Bradley Fox draws thousands
SHYHUDO WKRusDnG SROLFH RIfiFHUs from as far away as Chicago and Maine gathered tednesday morning to bear witness to bravery unGHU fiUH Ey DWWHnGLnJ WKH LLIH CHOHEUDWLRn RI 3OyPRuWK 3ROLFH 2IfiFHU Bradley Fox at Epiphany of lur Lord Church in mlymouth.
TKH fiYH-yHDU YHWHUDn .-9 RIfiFHU was shot and killed last Thursday evening by a Lower Merion man wKR FDusHG D KLW-DnG-Uun WUDIfiF DFFLGHnW, flHG IURP WKH DFFLGHnW scene and later ambushed Fox in an area near the Schyulkill River Trail.
0RUH WKDn 100 SROLFH RIfiFHUs from mhiladelphia and an equal number of mennsylvania State molice troopers attended the funeral Mass.
“,’YH sHHn RIfiFHUs KHUH IURP Chicago and from Maine,” said Sam Gallen, the deputy chief of Montgomery County Detectives. “I’m not at all surprised by that. It’s a tragedy.”
Lt. Ray Evers, the public inforPDWLRn RIfiFHU IRU WKH 3KLODGHOSKLD police, said his department “has been through this so many, many times. The healing process is important.”
The Life Celebration began with a hymn, “Be not Afraid.” In the parking lot next to the church where a large television screen was positioned, several hundred SROLFH RIfiFHUs sWRRG DW SDUDGH rest during the ceremony, which lasted for nearly two hours.
A reading from the Book of tisdom was read by “Aunt Christine” before a second hymn was sung by the church choir. A reading from the Book of Revelation was read by Melissa Fox, Bradley Fox’s sister.
The sound of a baby crying in the church marked the beginning of a reading from the Gospel of the Lord by Deacon Michael mascarella.
“TR DOO WKH SROLFH RIfiFHUs, emergency responders, the people of mlymouth Meeting, the SROLFH RIfiFHUs IURP RWKHU MuULsdictions, family and friends,” said the celebrant, Father Edward J. Hallinan, “thank you for your overwhelming generosity and support. The family is eternally grateful for your acts of healing.”
Hallinan spent three hours with the Fox family Saturday gathering family memories for his homily, he said.
“Brad experienced a loving upbringing. He gave his mother gray hair,” Hallinan said. “Lynsay, hathy and everyone here has permission to cry today.”
He recalled Fox’s marriage to Lynsay (MattozziF Fox in 2008, WKH ELUWK RI WKHLU fiUsW FKLOG, .Ddence, and his decision to join the mlymouth police department.
“)RU 2IfiFHU )R[ WR EH DPbushed by a coward with a gun is not God’s will. A commandment says though shalt not kill,” he said. “God’s will is to be a servant. Brad lived a life of peace, love and service. Brad is in God’s hands. He is at peace. Allow this imagery to penetrate your soul.”
In the most touching part of the ceremony, Brittany Mattozzi, Lynsay’s sister, read a long and loving letter written by Lynsay to her deceased husband.
then he joined the Marines DnG GHSORyHG WR ,UDT IRU WKH fiUsW time, Fox asked if she was committed to him. They had not been dating for a very long time, Lynsay wrote.
“tithout any hesitation I was ready to be by your side,” she wrote. “Every step of the way. I wrote [him] every day. I was afraid to watch the news.”
Fox was not known to be romantic, she wrote. He put a ring box on her leg one day and said, “So, want to marry me?” She said, “lf course.” then he wanted to apply for a SROLFH RIfiFHU’s MRE Ln 3OyPRuWK, Lynsay took care of the paperwork.
“vou were so excited and nervous,” she wrote. “I knew when you got the job how lucky they were.”
The couple married in 2008 and hadence was born April 13, 2012, Lynsay wrote. Their second child is due in March 2013.
“vou will always be the rock of our household. vou have given me a home surrounded by loving neighbors. mlease know I am in good hands,” she concluded. “I love you more than I can tell you. vou are a true hero. I love you Brad.”
Reghan Myrsiades, of mlymouth, came with her two brothers, CJ and Dean Myrsiades, to the funeral service.
“lur father is the deputy chief of police in mlymouth, John Myrsiades,” Myrsiades said. “It is heartbreaking. It is so senseless. It should not have happened.”
Myrsiades pointed out that not only police from mlymouth had come for the funeral “but also police from across the state have come together.”
CJ Myrsiades, of mlymouth, said he was awed by the number of police who came to attend the funeral.
“As sad as everything is, it is amazing to see the number of people showing up for these [funeral] events,” CJ Myrsiades said. “The motorcycle procession and the number of people who came to pay their respect. WH wHUH WKH fiUsW SHRSOH WR EH OHW in for the viewing Tuesday and there was still a line of people just waiting for the viewing. That was just the public.”
mlymouth police Chief Joseph Lawrence said “honor and commitment” were just a few of the words he would use to describe Fox.
“te won’t get over this,” Lawrence said. “te will get through it. te will work through our grief together.”
Lawrence concluded with the simple heartfelt sentiment, “It is an honor to say I knew Brad Fox.”