Remembering NY’s Finest, PO Chris Hoban
I was a teenager when Officer Hoban was killed in 1988. His funeral was held at my church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and I remember it being a dreary and windy day. The streets around the church were packed as hundreds of people attended it and hundreds of police officers attended the funeral. (click there to see an old picture).
After the mass, I remember my Mother being upset over Officer Hoban’s death and saying, “If someone kills a police officer, they should receive the death penalty.” I had never heard my Mother speak about the death penalty or anyone deserving to die before this.
Twenty-eight years later, Officer Hoban is still remembered each year in Bay Ridge on the third Sunday in September. The Chris Hoban Run is held in his honor and starts at Xaverian High School. The weather is always an amazing mix of a warm Summer day with a touch of Autumn breeze. Although the circumstances surrounding the day are sad, the event is not. It’s a day in which a local hero is honored by his community. Although many of the kids running didn’t know Officer Hoban, they understand why his life is being celebrated (that in itself is important to teach young people in a community). It’s a real spirited Bay Ridge event!
Hugs,
marlene
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