Pittsburgh police mourning loss of 53-year-old retired sergeant
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh police are mourning the loss of a "beloved colleague and friend" who died at age 53 after she was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer.
Pittsburgh police shared a statement from the family of Sergeant Dawn Mercurio, who began her policing career at age 37 in 2007 after she decided to leave the teaching field. She worked as a plainclothes detective and was promoted to Zone 6 sergeant in 2018.
Her family said she was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in 2020 and retired at the end of 2021.
She was also an adjunct instructor at the Pittsburgh Police Training Academy and her family said she worked closely with SWAT as a negotiator, allowing her to work alongside her husband, long-time SWAT member Sergeant Larry Mercurio.
"Dawn and Larry both grew up in Sheraden, located in the West End of Pittsburgh. Their fairytale relationship began at age 12 for Dawn and age 13 for Larry. They have never left each other's side since," their family said.
They had three children and "the most beautiful gift imaginable" in their two grandsons, born to both of their daughters within two days of one another in January.
"Sergeant Mercurio spent her last months of life with a smile ear to ear, playing with her grandbabies and spending precious time with her loving husband and children. While Dawn will be incredibly missed, we know for a fact she is in heaven worshiping Jesus face to face," her family said.
Police said funeral arrangements will be announced later.
