REVERE, Mass. — There was an overwhelming show of support for Massachusetts State Trooper Tamar Bucci at her wake Tuesday.
“Absolute tragedy, she turned 34, died two days later,” said Judy Buckley, who came out for the wake.
Thousands lined up to pay their respects at Saint Anthony’s church in Revere from State Troopers to friends, family and even strangers.
The line wrapped around the block with people filing in as the sun went down and well into the night.
“It just gives us a feeling of comfort that we can all be together, but it’s a profound sadness it’s a gut shot every single time,” said Bill Powers, a retired state police detective.
Powers says Bucci was a role model for so many younger officers.
“She represents the new generation of police officers and I couldn’t be more happy for the changes and the fact that people like her and her classmates, at a time we were going through a civil strife like I’ve never known in my lifetime, said ‘I want to help people, I want to be part of the state police,” said Powers.
Bucci’s fellow cadets carried her casket into the church – a rare moment to see the pallbearers as all female state troopers.
“You never know what’s going to happen and my heart goes out to Trooper Bucci, her family, her service her life, she seemed like she was amazing,” said Buckley.
Judy Buckley’s son is also a Massachusetts State Trooper, so this hits close to home.
“We pray every day, God bless him for he and what everyone else does to serve and protect and help people as was trooper Bucci doing that evening,” said Buckley.
Trooper Bucci died last week when a truck hit her cruiser while she was trying to help someone on the side of the road.
She leaves behind her parents and siblings, who escorted her coffin out of the church after her wake as they prepare for her funeral Wednesday.
The funeral for trooper Bucci will take place at St. Anthony’s Wednesday morning at 11.
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