Walk honors Officer Daryl Pierson on his birthday
Rochester police Officer Daryl Pierson would have celebrated his 33rd birthday on Saturday if not for the gunman who took his life 17 days earlier.
Pierson wasn't here to mark the occasion, but it didn't pass unnoticed.
His sister, Julie, led a crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" for her late brother Saturday morning at the Greece Ridge Mall. Hundreds of people gathered there for a walk in Pierson's honor, and many wiped away tears after singing that normally happy song.
"You guys have truly brought light into our nightmare," Pierson's sister told the crowd.
Mark Rossney of the Operation Patriot Foundation organized the event to help raise money for Pierson's family. Rossney's group, founded after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, supports emergency responders and members of the military.
It cost at least $10 to participate in Saturday's walk or $20 to receive a T-shirt in memory of Pierson. Proceeds were expected to go to the Rochester Police Locust Club, the city police union, to be given to Pierson's family.
"We wanted to bring the community out to pay tribute," Rossney said afterward.
The event coincided with national Thank a Police Officer Day, and several participants said they came out to do just that.
"We just felt that we wanted to be here in spirit for his birthday," said Christina Verheecke of Greece, who walked with her daughter, Gianna, and her mother, Ann Zona. "We wouldn't have wanted to start our day any other way."
Speaking at an opening ceremony, Rochester police Commander Tony McMullen said it was important for police to say thanks, too, for the backing they have received. Pierson's loss was "devastating," he said.
"Hearing and seeing all the love and support ... has given us the strength we need to move forward, slowly," he said.
Others recalled Pierson before his time with the Rochester police. Command Sgt. Major Dave Oliver of the New York Army National Guard said he remembered Pierson as a "solid" soldier who could be relied upon to get the job done.
Todd Baxter, executive director of the Veterans Outreach Center and former Greece police chief, said he was Pierson's physical fitness instructor when he was at the police academy. Crawling through puddles or climbing snowbanks, Pierson never whined or complained, Baxter said.
"We knew right from the beginning that Daryl would be a cop," he said.
Drew Forsythe, chief deputy for the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, said he hoped that Pierson's son, Christian, who turned 5 on Friday, will grow up wanting to be a cop like his father.
"We as a community have an obligation to ensure that his family is taken care of and that we remember him," Forsythe said.
The ceremony ended with the playing of "Taps," followed by a bagpipe and drum band that performed "Amazing Grace" before leading the walk through an otherwise mostly empty mall.
It was not immediately clear how many people attended the event, but organizers said they quickly ran out of T-shirts for the first 100 participants.
Aaron Heltz of Gates, brother-in-law of Pierson's partner, Officer Michael DiPaola, walked with his entire family. He said it was good to see so much community support, and that ultimately, the community can help prevent needless deaths like Pierson's.
"The people on the street every day are the ones who can make an impact," Heltz said.
It wasn't the first charity walk held by Operation Patriot. Organizers said a similar walk for the victims of the Christmas Eve 2012 shootings in West Webster raised about $3,600.
DRILEY@DemocratandChronicle.com
