We learn today
A terminally ill police officer blessed by Pope Benedict ahead of World Youth Day celebrations has died in a Lismore hospital.
Senior constable Gary Hill was gravely ill when colleagues arranged for a meeting with the pontiff during his retreat at Kenthurst last week, a police statement said.
Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, said Constable Hill was a dedicated officer who had expressed a dying wish to meet the Pope.
"I'm grateful for all the people who helped make it happen, and after all the pain his family and colleagues has been through it was such an uplifting moment."
The senior constable been working up until two weeks ago when his condition after a four-year battle with cancer suddenly worsened, Superintendent Lyons said.
"Gary was a true community policeman who never let his illness get him down."
A funeral with full police honours is expected to be held on the state's North Coast later this week.
Senior constable Gary Hill was gravely ill when colleagues arranged for a meeting with the pontiff during his retreat at Kenthurst last week, a police statement said.
Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, said Constable Hill was a dedicated officer who had expressed a dying wish to meet the Pope.
"I'm grateful for all the people who helped make it happen, and after all the pain his family and colleagues has been through it was such an uplifting moment."
The senior constable been working up until two weeks ago when his condition after a four-year battle with cancer suddenly worsened, Superintendent Lyons said.
"Gary was a true community policeman who never let his illness get him down."
A funeral with full police honours is expected to be held on the state's North Coast later this week.
More here
A TERMINALLY ill police officer blessed by Pope Benedict before World Youth Day celebrations died in a Lismore hospital yesterday morning after a prolonged illness.
Senior Constable Gary Hill, who battled skin cancer, heart and brain tumours for the past four years, was known for his commitment to his 22-year police career and faith, the Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, said.
"It was not uncommon for Gary to go and have chemotherapy in the morning and come back to work in the afternoon. I'm sure that faith kept him going."
When Senior Constable Hill had a seizure at work two weeks ago, he told his colleagues he would visit the doctor after he finished his shift. Instead he was taken to hospital and then to palliative care when it was discovered a cluster of small tumours in his brain had returned.
Superintendent Lyons said it had been his dying wish to see the Pope: "Gary always wanted to go to Rome and stand in a crowd of 50,000 people and see the Pope come out on the balcony."
Colleagues arranged for a meeting with the pontiff during his retreat at Kenthurst last week, where he blessed the police officer and gave him rosary beads.
The pontiff was given the policeman's hat after he donned it for the cameras, mistakenly taking it for an akubra he had been told had been brought along as a gift.
Senior Constable Gary Hill, who battled skin cancer, heart and brain tumours for the past four years, was known for his commitment to his 22-year police career and faith, the Richmond Local Area Commander, Superintendent Bruce Lyons, said.
"It was not uncommon for Gary to go and have chemotherapy in the morning and come back to work in the afternoon. I'm sure that faith kept him going."
When Senior Constable Hill had a seizure at work two weeks ago, he told his colleagues he would visit the doctor after he finished his shift. Instead he was taken to hospital and then to palliative care when it was discovered a cluster of small tumours in his brain had returned.
Superintendent Lyons said it had been his dying wish to see the Pope: "Gary always wanted to go to Rome and stand in a crowd of 50,000 people and see the Pope come out on the balcony."
Colleagues arranged for a meeting with the pontiff during his retreat at Kenthurst last week, where he blessed the police officer and gave him rosary beads.
The pontiff was given the policeman's hat after he donned it for the cameras, mistakenly taking it for an akubra he had been told had been brought along as a gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment