On Saturday night, residents said goodbye to one of their own and police officers from across the state saluted the bravery of a member of the thin blue line who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Slain Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Officer Sean Collier’s body was brought down Church Street past thousands who lined the street surrounding Wilmington Town Common and waved American flags as a part of an emotional goodbye.
Collier, a Wilmington native and Somerville resident, was honored during a candlelight vigil following the procession. Members of the Collier family attended the event, and sobbed at times as their loved one was recalled.
“(Sean) is such an amazing man. A better man than I will ever be. And he was taken from us too early,” said Sean’s brother, Andrew Collier. “Sean is not in that casket. Sean will continue to live on and his legacy will continue to live on. You all will remember Sean, you will all talk about that time the police officer was tragically killed. And you will remember that and continue to do good. And because of that these terrorists will never win. They will never break down the United States, they will never break down Boston and they will never break down Wilmington.”