Funeral service held for fallen Michigan State Police officer Daniel Kerstetter
(CBS DETROIT) - The funeral service for fallen Michigan State Police motor carrier officer Daniel Kerstetter was held Friday at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Kerstetter, 45, was killed when an SUV rear-ended his patrol vehicle while he was conducting a traffic stop on I-75 near Dix on Sept. 13. Kerstetter died last weekend as a result of his injuries, while the driver of the SUV, a 38-year-old, was killed in the crash.
Kerstetter's family took him off life support last Sunday with a plan to donate his organs, marking his final heroic act.
"Even afterward, saving lives of the different families he donated his organs to," said MSP Lt. Mike Shaw. "The most emotional part for most people is that final call over the radio where we know he's not going to answer.
Kerstetter's service as a motor carrier officer is something his colleagues said they aspire to replicate.
"He was a great officer because he was a great person," said MSP motor carrier officer and Kerstetter's partner, Justin Bess. "He did not do this job because he wanted recognition. It was his calling, and going above and beyond was his normal."
Kerstetter leaves behind a wife and three children.
Two months ago, Kerstetter's family gathered to celebrate his marriage to his wife Katie. Now, the family is grieving his loss.
"Little did we know what was to come just a short time after for us," said Katie Kerstetter, Daniel's wife. "He knew how much I loved him, how much his children loved him, how much his friends and family loved him. Danny, loving you changed my life."
"This didn't have to happen," added Shaw. "We should be going about our day just like any other day and not going to lay our 57th member to rest because they were killed in a preventable traffic crash. I think that's the hardest part as you wrap your head around this whole thing. Danny's got a wife; he's got three kids, and you know, the youngest probably might not even remember Dad."
Those who attended Kerstetter's received blue ribbons as they entered the church Friday. The ribbons represent the continued support Kerstetter's family will receive through the Michigan Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors.
On Thursday, Kerstetter's family held a public viewing at Verheyden Funeral Home in Grosse Pointe Park, where members of the Grosse Pointe community were joined by law enforcement from across the U.S. in paying their respects.
"It was important to show my respect and appreciation for what law enforcement does," said Kerstetter family friend Erin Savinov. "The Grosse Pointe community is an awesome community to be a part of, and when something tragic like this happens, we really do pull together and take care of our own."