Today was the funeral for police officer David VanBuskirk. It started with a funeral procession that went along the Vegas Strip, with the casinos paying tribute to Officer VanBuskirk on their video screens outside. they proceeded to the Central Christian Church, where the visiation and funeral was held. After the service, a procession of at least 300 police cars, SWAT vehicle, ambulances and fire trucks drove from the Church to Palm Mortuary/Cemetery, where they had the final rites and traditional Line of Duty Death rituals.
Here is part of the write up from the LVRJ: With a catch in her voice and tears in her eyes, Jennifer VanBuskirk stood in front of about 2,000 people Monday afternoon to say goodbye to her brother.
“My heart is forever broken,” she said. “My brother was one of my very best friends ... He was a loving husband, loyal friend, wonderful uncle, and my protector.”
David VanBuskirk, 36, a Las Vegas police Search and Rescue officer, died last week during a late-night helicopter rescue of a hiker stranded near Mary Jane Falls on Mount Charleston. The officer fell while being hoisted to the helicopter. An investigation into his death remains ongoing....
Uniforms speckled the auditorium in the Central Christian Church as men and women united in grief and love for a man they called friend and brother.
“He was a good man and he cared about each and every one of us,” said Sgt. Gavin Vesp, VanBuskirk’s supervisor and friend.
Vesp recalled being hoisted to the area where VanBuskirk fell. Officers covered their friend’s body to protect it from the rotor wash of the helicopter.
“As I got over there, I knew that there was nothing more that we could do for David in this life,” Vesp said. “I remember touching his face. I remember helping him close his eyes for the last time. And I want everyone to know that David was at peace, and being on that mountain with him that night was the greatest honor of my life.”
VanBuskirk, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, left behind a wife and an extended family. He had no children. ...
Few words could be heard as family, friends, and fellow officers listened to a prayer, followed by a 21-gun salute.
Hundreds struggled to hold back tears behind sunglasses as bagpipers played “Amazing Grace” in the distance.
Gillespie approached the casket, removed his sunglasses, knelt down before VanBuskirk’s wife and presented her with the flag that had draped her husband’s casket that the morning.
The silence of the warm summer afternoon was broken as they played the officer’s final radio traffic:
“Attention all officers. Attention all officers. Officer David VanBuskirk. P-Number 6482. May he rest in peace. Secure. Final.” http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/funeral-today-las-vegas-officer-killed-hiker-rescue
I watched the service on TV and it was hard to hold back tears as the speakers took their turn honoring Officer VanBuskirk.
My wife and myself watched the procession when it was on Eastern, by Palm Mortuary. The procession lasted at least 45 minutes, with the following agencies participating (I may have missed two or three due to not seeing their decals on their cars/trucks)
Las Vegas Metro, Metro Search and Rescue, Swat, volunteers and officers, Clark County School Police, Boulder City Police, Henderson fire and police, City of Las Vegas Marshall and Las Vegas Fire Department, BLM, Lake Mead Rangers, Elko Police, Reno Police, Boise, ID police, Washoe County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, Nye County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, North Las Vegas police, Clark County (?) Constable, Clark County Fire, Community Ambulance (Henderson), Medic West, AMR ambulance, San Dimas (Los Angeles County)Search and Rescue, Coconino (AZ)County Search and Rescue, Moapa tribal police, Union Pacific Railroad police and the Nevada Highway Patrol. There were numerous federal officers there as well, but they were in unmarked cars and in plainclothes, but the paper says the FBI and Secret Service were there.
David VanBuskirk, 36, a Las Vegas police Search and Rescue officer, died last week during a late-night helicopter rescue of a hiker stranded near Mary Jane Falls on Mount Charleston. The officer fell while being hoisted to the helicopter. An investigation into his death remains ongoing....
Uniforms speckled the auditorium in the Central Christian Church as men and women united in grief and love for a man they called friend and brother.
“He was a good man and he cared about each and every one of us,” said Sgt. Gavin Vesp, VanBuskirk’s supervisor and friend.
Vesp recalled being hoisted to the area where VanBuskirk fell. Officers covered their friend’s body to protect it from the rotor wash of the helicopter.
“As I got over there, I knew that there was nothing more that we could do for David in this life,” Vesp said. “I remember touching his face. I remember helping him close his eyes for the last time. And I want everyone to know that David was at peace, and being on that mountain with him that night was the greatest honor of my life.”
VanBuskirk, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, left behind a wife and an extended family. He had no children. ...
Few words could be heard as family, friends, and fellow officers listened to a prayer, followed by a 21-gun salute.
Hundreds struggled to hold back tears behind sunglasses as bagpipers played “Amazing Grace” in the distance.
Gillespie approached the casket, removed his sunglasses, knelt down before VanBuskirk’s wife and presented her with the flag that had draped her husband’s casket that the morning.
The silence of the warm summer afternoon was broken as they played the officer’s final radio traffic:
“Attention all officers. Attention all officers. Officer David VanBuskirk. P-Number 6482. May he rest in peace. Secure. Final.” http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/funeral-today-las-vegas-officer-killed-hiker-rescue
I watched the service on TV and it was hard to hold back tears as the speakers took their turn honoring Officer VanBuskirk.
My wife and myself watched the procession when it was on Eastern, by Palm Mortuary. The procession lasted at least 45 minutes, with the following agencies participating (I may have missed two or three due to not seeing their decals on their cars/trucks)
Las Vegas Metro, Metro Search and Rescue, Swat, volunteers and officers, Clark County School Police, Boulder City Police, Henderson fire and police, City of Las Vegas Marshall and Las Vegas Fire Department, BLM, Lake Mead Rangers, Elko Police, Reno Police, Boise, ID police, Washoe County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, Nye County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, North Las Vegas police, Clark County (?) Constable, Clark County Fire, Community Ambulance (Henderson), Medic West, AMR ambulance, San Dimas (Los Angeles County)Search and Rescue, Coconino (AZ)County Search and Rescue, Moapa tribal police, Union Pacific Railroad police and the Nevada Highway Patrol. There were numerous federal officers there as well, but they were in unmarked cars and in plainclothes, but the paper says the FBI and Secret Service were there.
No comments:
Post a Comment