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vors is one of the best feelings,” admits Phyllis Morgan as she stands at the inscription of her son Newark Detective Michael Morgan, who was killed by gunfire in 2011.“ You know, if I want to cry, I can cry. If I want to laugh, I laugh. If I want to curse, I curse. This bus ride means the world to me.”
A walk around the memorial on this day witnesses the tears and laughs and provides a glimpse of what these survivors came for:
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reports.“ They are never out this early, so I knew that was Mike.”
Phyllis has come to the memorial with Mike’ s oldest sister, Dawn Palmeri, and two of his nieces, Maria and Claudia. Phyllis is doing a little extra duty by taking etchings of names inscribed for sons and daughters of mothers she has met from Alabama, Texas and other locations through National C. O. P. S. retreats.
She and Dawn are tearing up a bit now, but not over missing Mike. Because they see him.
“ The sun is shining, and the sky is as blue as his eyes,” Phyllis points out.“ That’ s Mike.”
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Jean, left, and Robin Strone, leave a flower for their father, fallen Passaic Local 14 member Robert Strone.
Jean Strone was 2 years old when her father was shot and killed shortly before midnight on May 8, 1958. Robin was nine months old. They have no recollection of their dad, but sitting at the wall, Jean confirms,“ I feel like I’ m close to him.”
The sisters add that they feel a combination of sadness and happiness and that being here is a way to have a little more than the stories they have heard about Robert for nearly 60 years.
“ Well, we never went to his funeral,” Robin explains.“ So this feels like we’ re honoring him in that way.”
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Phyllis Morgan, left, with her daughter, Dawn Palmeri, and granddaughters Claudia and Maria, leave mementos for fallen Newark Officer Michael Morgan.
Talk about seeing and feeling the presence: Phyllis Morgan felt Mike even before she boarded the bus.
“ I saw a cardinal looking in my window this morning,” she
38 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ MAY 2018
Chris Goodell’ s sister Nicole and nephew Brian place flowers at the panel of the memorial wall where his name is inscribed.
Patty Goodell’ s grandson Brian wants to know why grandma is crying.
“ Because Grandma is sad about Uncle Chris,” she tells Brian, who is here with his mom, Nicole, Chris’ sister.
Patty pauses for a moment recalling how Chris, who was lost when a tractor trailer barreled into his car while he was on patrol at 1:30 a. m. on July 17, 2014, used to light up the room when he walked in. She smiles when telling how Chris would see a baby bird in the middle of the road and get out of his patrol car to move the bird out of the way.
“ It still takes my breath away to see his name,” Patty confirms.“ We were going to come down for Police Week, but this is more intimate. It’ s just a very special place. And just seeing his name is like, well you see I can’ t talk.”
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Members of the Ohlsen family have made the bus trip most every year so Bonnie can say hello to her husband. Dover Local 107 member Arthur Joseph Ohlsen III was struck by a train while responding to a brush fire on Dec. 30, 2003. She has come to tell Art about how his boys are following in his footsteps.
Arthur Joseph Ohlsen IV is on with Parsippany and a member of Parsippany-Troy Hills Local 131 who rides the Police Unity Tour every year.
Bonnie Ohlsen wore a shirt dedicated to her husband Art, who served as a member of Dover Township Local 017.
His brother Trevor is with Morris County Sheriff’ s Department Local 151.
They remind Bonnie of Art,