Chad Swanson, a 35-year-old Manhattan Beach police officer, was honored Wednesday, Oct. 18, during a celebration of life service in Cypress two weeks after was killed in a crash on the 405 Freeway.
Family, friends and law enforcement personnel gathered Wednesday morning at the SeaCoast Grace Church after a procession from the Manhattan Beach Police Department to share stories of the man who had touched so many during his short time in this life.
Swanson, a 13-year veteran with the department was killed on Oct. 4 when a car collided with his police motorcycle while he was likely on his way to work.
“We’re going to mourn, we’re going to cry. But we’re also going to laugh,” Pastor Cody Surratt said at the start of the service.
And despite the heavy emotions weighing on Swanson’s loved ones, many laughs were shared while remembering the life of the officer, husband, brother, son and father of three.
Swanson was born in 1988 to Kip and Valerie.
Growing up in his South Gate neighborhood, he spent his childhood skateboarding with friends, camping at Salton Sea and Lost Lake and getting into trouble with his friends. He was described by his parents as passionate, independent, competitive to the max, loyal, smart and impulsive.
“I’ve been told (by his family) that as a child, Chad is what we’d politely describe as spirited. So spirited that he became well familiar with the decor in the principal’s office at school,” Police Chief Rachel Johnson said while holding back tears.
On a middle school day, Johnson said, one of Chad’s classmates broke a sign that was in the parking lot. Rather than let his friend get in trouble, Chad took the blame — despite his mother’s skepticism.
When asked why he would take the fault, Swanson said his classmate was not used to getting into trouble and wouldn’t know how to handle it.
That would mark the start of Swanson’s path toward becoming an “everyday hero of extraordinary courage,” Johnson…
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