Hundreds turned out for the wake of 37-year-old Officer John Abraham, who died Monday when his patrol car slammed into a utility pole across the street from police headquarters.
A funeral service will be held Saturday.
"His wife said to me, he died doing what he wanted to do," Teaneck Police Chief Robert Wilson said. "He always said to her, if I die, I want to die at work."
Abraham's death came only hours after he had saved another man's life at the Etc. Steakhouse. Abraham tried to revive a man who was choking on a piece of steak, and he worked on the man until EMTs arrived and rushed the victim to the hospital. It was oddly the same hospital Abraham would be rushed to after his accident hours later.
Abraham's career track was on the rise, being promoted to detective investigator. His heart, though, was in helping people.
"Whenever there was an officer in need, or a family in crisis, somebody needed a favor, John [Abraham] was really always there," Capt. Mark Distler said.
