Survivor Lisa Perry, whose fallen officer Mark Woodhead, who died on duty in 1992, had the trip of a lifetime thanks to Care of Police Survivors Founder Christine Fulton. Christine facilitated an introduction with the Founder of the C.O.P.S. New York chapter, Eileen Sweeny Rafferty, in anticipation of a possible meet-up in New York.

Christine Fulton, (photo to the right) survivor and founder of Care of Police Survivors said:

“On my first visit to America, the spouses from C.O.P.S. took me into their fold and made me feel so welcome.

When Lisa asked if I knew anyone who could help her, I had no hesitation to ask them and knew if they could, they would.

I have never met Eileen before, but she went above and beyond for a fellow survivor, and that friendship is what our charities are all about.”

The connection catapulted a standard trip to America into an excursion of a lifetime for Lisa and her family, as Eileen reached out to Lisa in response and organised a full itinerary of action, including a visit to a New York Fire House, a trip to a Police Launch and a visit to Ground Zero.

Lisa meets Eileen at St Patrick’s Church, and the adventure begins as they visit their first stop at Fire House – Engine Co 8; Ladder Co 2; 8th Batt. 8 Engine was first quartered there in September of 1869.

Lisa said:

“The firefighters were initially out on a job, and the sound of the sirens was just deafening, which I assume was because of all the high buildings. I can only imagine what it must’ve been like on 9/11!

We were allowed inside the Fire House and were shown around where we saw on the wall, as you enter, a memorial to the Fire Officers who lost their lives on 9/11. This was very moving to see.”

The action didn’t stop there; the following day, Lisa met up again with Eileen for a trip on a Police Launch.

The Police Launch (image to the right) is named after Eileen’s late husband, Detective Patrick Rafferty, who died on duty in 2004. Article here

“The Police Launch took us out to Staten Island, where we saw the Lady herself, The Statue of Liberty, then went down the East River under the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge. All of a sudden, one of the Police Officers said jokingly, “We’re in trouble now,” and as we looked inside the launch, there was Eden, my daughter, ‘driving’ the boat!!! She had a great time doing that and creating that memory; I’ve never seen her grin so wide!!

We got to see New York from a different perspective, and the two Police Officers were full of information and didn’t rush us at all.”

The visit to Ground Zero proved to be particularly poignant for Lisa as Mark had proposed to her at the top of one of the Twin Towers.

“My connection with the Care of Police Survivors charity is my first husband, Mark, who died on duty in 1992.

When we then went to Ground Zero, it brought back many different memories for me as Mark proposed to me at the top of one of the Towers in 1988.

I also went back as a Police representative for the 1st and 3rd anniversaries of 9/11. It was strangely quiet there, and people were so respectful.”

The Ground Zero site has a tree there called the Survivor Tree. It is the only tree to be found in the wreckage of 9/11 and has been nurtured and replanted at the memorial service in 2010.

Care of Police Survivors has been built on the power of peer support. This story sums up the charity values that are instrumental in keeping our police family connected, supported, and their needs understood. Thank you to Lisa Perry for sharing her heartfelt story with the charity.