Marc Pinizzotto being honoured during Port Credit Canada Day parade
· Toronto Sun
Linda Pinizzotto is determined to do right by her slain son, as any grieving mother would do.
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The mother of Toronto Police Emergency Task Force member Const. Marc Pinizzotto, who was killed on June 11 while helping execute search warrants at a North York high-rise (one of them linked to the March shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto), caused shock waves across the country.
Now his mother Linda is set to honour her son with a banner at Wednesday’s Port Credit Canada Day Parade , going from 11 a.m. to noon on Hurontario St. and Lakeshore Rd. east to Seneca Ave. in Mississauga. The parade will be followed by a street festival on Lakeshore from Stavebank Rd. to Hurontario from noon to 11 p.m.
The community quickly rallied to help with the efforts. Sign Den Graphics Inc. supplied a four-by-eight banner, while Peel Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat offered a truck for the parade. Volunteers will be on hand to carry the banner along the parade route.
“They did it in record time,” Linda said. “We have a tremendous amount of community support.”
Community pitched in to help
It’s all about helping out and making the community a better place, said Linda. Now the community is giving back to her in a time of profound grief.
“We have always, always in our house endorsed volunteerism,” Linda said. “Always heavily involved. Always giving back. Doing the best we can. The kids grew up with that atmosphere and it resonated so well that it continued through to adulthood. And that’s why my grandchildren are heavily involved in everything as well.”
Along with family and friends, more than 10,000 police officers from across Canada and the U.S. as well as dignitaries packed the Toronto Congress Centre on June 24 to pay tribute to Marc, an 18-year police veteran and 43-year-old husband and father of two . He was remembered as a man of courage, professionalism and dedication to those around him.
“Marc was always there helping people,” Linda said. “Everybody talked about him at the funeral, about how much he continued to give back, off duty or on duty. That doesn’t come overnight. That’s a foundation you grow up with.”
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Linda also said more must be done for mothers who have lost their children in the line of duty in terms of emotional consideration and decision-making power.
“Mothers struggle when they lose a child they can never replace,” Linda said.
She said she will advocate more to that end in the future.
“As a mom, losing my son is devastating and mothers need more recognition in this period of time, especially from the police,” Linda said. “I understand there’s a protocol with wives, but mothers gave birth and we’re forever. I would have loved to have something of memory of my son from the police force.”
Linda said the danger that police face every day affects their family as well.
“I had an opportunity to greet mothers, wives, of course, and brothers and sisters of fallen officers in different capacities and in particular the mothers, I found, my strength was calming them,” she said. “Even if they had lost their son or daughter five years ago, they still haven’t recovered from it and the grieving process is much more intense and I found myself giving them comfort as much as they were giving me.”