Worcester officers ready for tribute run to DC

WORCESTER, Mass. — It was a 9-1-1 call that changed so many lives.

Last June, Worcester Police responded to a report of someone in distress in the pond that forms the centerpiece of Greenhill Park, the largest green space in the city.

One of the responding officers was Enmanuel “Manny” Familia, a five-year veteran of the force. He and several others dove into the 30-acre pond in an attempt to save Troy Love, a fourteen-year-old boy visiting Worcester from Virginia. Love was apparently attempting to swim across the pond, but faltered halfway over.

“He had a lot of integrity,” said Eric Familia, Manny’s younger brother. “He definitely always wanted to do right by people. He’s always had a protective kind of personality when it comes to the people we love, but also the voiceless.”

Love eventually drowned that June day, as did Officer Familia.

“It was very hard to describe the feeling,” said Eric. “A lot of emotions running through. Even to this day.”

As the anniversary of the drownings approaches, 18 Worcester police officers are about to set off on a grueling fundraising tribute to their former colleague: a four-day, 400-mile relay run to the Washington, D.C. Police Memorial.

“We hope to get there early Thursday morning, fingers crossed,” said Lt. Joe Scampini, an organizer and participant. “It shows Manny that we will always be with him. He’ll be with us.”

Scampini said most of the participants are not “real runners” – but are in reasonably good shape because of regular exercise and working out. The relay will be split into relatively manageable chunks of about a dozen miles a day. Scampini said officers engaged in a similar fundraising run five years ago – vowing never to do it again.

But, he said, the memory of Manny Familia is worth the pain.

“Our profession has taken hits over the past few years,” Scampini said. “But if you met a guy like Manny, he’d be the model police officer that you want. Manny was a real good dude.”

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