>>Valley Patriot>> |
City Remembers Kevin Callahan
Last week, when Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan was sworn in for his second term as mayor. City Council President Patrick Blanchette, who coordinated the ceremonies personally made sure that this inauguration ceremony was “Dedicated to the memory of Officer Kevin Callahan.” “Kevin
touched a lot of people in the community,” said
Councilor Patriack Blanchette before the inaugural,
“probably more than anyone will ever realize. So we
are dedicating this inaugural ceremony to Kevin because
we all wish he was here to sing tonight.” (Editor's note: IN the print version of the Valley Patriot the above quote was mistakenly attributed to Mike Sullivan) Lawrence Mayor Mike Sullivan said that when he was first sworn in as mayor of Lawrence four years ago, Kevin Callahan sang the national anthem. “I thought it was only fitting that the city remember him at my second inaugural because he is really missed - especially on a night like tonight.” Kevin’s name was mentioned several times during the swearing in ceremony for Mayor Sullivan, the Lawrence City Council, the School Committee, and the Greater Lawrence Technical School Board. Besides being a decorated police officer who had saved the lives of dozens of people, Kevin volunteered most of his free time to helping people throughout the community. In 2001 Kevin helped organize and sang at a fundraising benefit for a child in Methuen who was dying of cancer and couldn’t afford chemotherapy treatment because the insurance companies refused to pay for it. Kevin was in the process of recording his third musical CD when he died on December 7th, after years of singing and recording music - his first true love. At 37 years old, Kevin left a wife, two children, his parents, a brother, two sisters, and thousands of grieving friends, colleagues and associates. Kevin grew up on Abbott Street in Lawrence, attended Saint Patrick’s Grammar School, sang in the Saint Patrick’s choir and later attended Central Catholic. He was a member of Saint Michael’s parish when he died. We will miss
him dearly. *Send your questions
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LAWRENCE - The death of Lawrence
Police Officer Kevin Callahan last month left those of us
who knew him in utter shock and disbelief. At 37 years
old, he was so full of life that people often wondered
how he had the time to be a police officer, a
professional singer, a community volunteer, a husband,
father, son, a member of the Saint Michael’s choir,
and the multiple roles he played in our lives.