Former President Trump prayed the Lord’s Prayer with the grieving family of Jonathan Diller at the wake of the slain New York City police detective on Thursday, and received encouragement from the officer’s son, the officiant recalled.
“It was a very human, simple moment that was very meaningful to the family and to the people who were in that room,” said Pastor Michael Duffy. told Human Interest outside Diller’s funeral on Saturday.
President Trump flew to Long Island on Thursday at the direct invitation of Detective Diller’s grieving family to celebrate the life of Detective Diller, who was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens.
The Republican presidential candidate expressed his condolences to Diller’s young wife, Stephanie, and their 1-year-old son, Ryan, and Trump later promised the Post he would work to ensure her husband’s death was not in vain. he said.
The widow then introduced Mr. Trump to Mr. Duffy as the priest who had presided over her wedding just a few years earlier.
“All I could say was, ‘Sir,’ Mr. President, thank you for being here. Thank you for being so kind to this family. Will you please pray with us?” Duffy recalled. .
“And he said, ‘Of course, Father Duffy.’
Trump then joined the entire audience in reciting the Lord’s Prayer, asking for God’s forgiveness and protection from Satan.
“Then the president turned around so beautifully and kissed baby Ryan on the forehead. And the baby clapped for the president. It just broke the tension,” Duffy said.
Photos taken at the funeral show Ryan with his arms outstretched towards his father’s flag-draped coffin, while his heartbroken mother tenderly kisses the baby’s head.
After the service, Diller was buried in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
His murder suspect, Guy Rivera, was arraigned Thursday from his hospital bed on charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons possession.
When a police officer approached Rivera’s car as he was parking in front of a bus stop, he is accused of shooting Diller once in the abdomen, below his bulletproof vest.
Rivera, who has been arrested 21 times and was found to have a shiv stored in his rectum at the time of the shooting, appears to have expected to be sent to prison again.
Lindy Jones, an ex-convict who was behind the wheel during the shooting, was also arrested after a second gun was found in the car.
