As the family of Chris Marcello received an award Saturday night outside Third City Christian Church, a dozen Grand Island police officers stood off to the side, expressing their support.
The family Marcello left behind was presented with the Freedom Award at the church’s Heartland Celebration of Freedom. Marcello, a Grand Island police officer, died July 27, 2022, at the age of 42.
After Marcello passed away, Grand Island police officers promised they would look after his family. And they’ve delivered.
Officers have helped a lot, said Marcello’s widow, Tami.
Everybody’s always asking if she needs anything, “and I’m not very good about asking for help,” she said in an interview.
But she sees plenty of the officers who worked with Chris.
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“They drive by and check on us,,” Tami said. “They make phone calls. I have people send cards still. And then we get together with them.”
Tami is raising the couple’s four children – Vincent, 15, Mia, 13, Ophelia, 10, and Victor, 7.
How is the family doing?
“Plenty of good days. I’d like to say more good days now. But since we’re coming up to his anniversary of when everything happened, lots of tears are being shed. A lot during the evening hours, when we’re home alone.”
How would she describe her late husband?
“My best friend. The person I confided in. The person I trusted, I looked up to, I asked for advice – my everything, our everything.”
How are the Marcello children holding up?
“It goes in spurts,” she said. “Recently it’s been rough for most of us. I don’t know if it’s just from the anniversary coming, or what. But this last month has been a lot rougher than it has been the previous couple months.”
Tami Marcello is a Hastings native. She and Chris met when they were students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She works at Mary Lanning Healthcare.
The Marcellos attend Third City Christian.
During the award presentation, Pastor Scott Jones led the gathering in prayer. After the award was presented, the Marcello family received a strong ovation.
The Marcellos did not speak during the presentation. After giving her the Freedom Award, Jones gave Tami a hug.
“I appreciate everybody’s thoughts and prayers and anything that they’ve given us in the last 11 months,” Tami said. “We really appreciate everything."
It was the 21st time Third City has held the Heartland Celebration of Freedom.
“We just love doing this for our community,” Jones said.
The church likes to honor those who protect the rest of us. “I don’t know if you can thank them enough,” he said.
Around 300 to 400 church members put on the celebration every year. Their jobs include setting up, working the event and cleaning up.
The Freedom Award is given every year. Recipients are first responders and those with a connection to the military.
The celebration ended with a fireworks show, sponsored by Dinsdale Automotive.