From left: Toms River Local 137 State Delegate Jesse Robertazzi, Plainfield Local 19 member Russell Gottlick, Local 137 member Chris Leighton, Hunter
Simeon, Local 19 former State Delegate Nuno Carvalho, Local 137 President Brian Dugan, retired Local 137 member Glenn Lucas, Local 137 members
Matthew Crosta and Kyle Zangara.
it. At that point, it became pretty clear that
the badge charm was most likely stolen
from the dock,” Robertazzi deduced. “We
felt like we had to do more.”
up with the idea. Fundraising efforts
among Plainfield officers raised a “significant amount of money,” Crawford
described.
So Leighton and Robertazzi came up
with a plan to replace Hunter’s lost badge.
They eventually ended up reaching out to
Atlantic City Jewelers owner Chris Biele,
who agreed to make a custom charm
identical to the one Hunter adored so
much “at a tremendous discount,” Robertazzi explained. Based on a photo, Biele
was able to create an exact duplicate of
the original badge.
“Money can’t replace something (that
has) sentimental value,” he added. “But
the response was overwhelming.”
Robertazzi then contacted Plainfield
Local 19 State Delegate Danielle Walker to
describe the ongoing work to help Hunter.
Local 19 President Andre Crawford credits
their Plainfield counterparts with coming
make such a moment possible by volunteering time to search the waters and collecting money to replace the badge.
“Hunter found out what being part of
the Blue Family is all about,” Robertazzi
explained.
“He
was
stunned,”
Robertazzi
described. “It was one of those moments
you can’t put into words. The smile on his
face said everything.”
Crawford said the situation exemplifies
the relationships that exist within the
brother/sisterhood of law enforcement
officers. And, given what Toms River did
for Hunter to maintain his memories of
Romeo – whom he called a “great officer”
liked by everyone – Crawford had nothing
but good things to say about his counterparts.
Robertazzi added that Hunter quickly
realized that a group of strangers he had
never met cared enough about him to
“We’re forever in debt to Toms River,”
Crawford offered. “What they did was so
heartwarming.” d
In October, members of Locals 19 and
137 invited Hunter back to Pine Beach,
although he didn’t know why. It was then
that Leighton presented Hunter with a
new badge charm and necklace.
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