RIP Michael Lupinacci. You will be missed by so many...

My brother Michael passed away last night after a year and a half battle with cancer. You often hear people say after a person dies that they have touched many lives. That could not be more true for my brother. He served the public for nearly his entire life. Volunteer rescue. Volunteer firefighter. Assistant Communications Manager for Allegheny County's emergency operations center. Police Officer. And, for the last two years, Police Chief of Lincoln Borough.

He often saw society at its worst, but also at its most vulnerable. And, he'd run into that burning building, or be the first to come to your aid in a dire medical emergency, or go out on a call for help not knowing if he'd make it back...

He even played a long-distance part in the rescue of two fellow officers that became the subject of the movie "World Trade Center" which I wrote about here seven years ago.

And of course, his family and friends could rely on him for anything.

Last December over 500 of them and his fellow first responders came out to an event to help raise money so he could go to Sloan-Kettering. Thank you for that!

Now upon hearing of his passing, so many are remembering all that he did. But they also are recounting his wicked and mischievous sense of humor and how he loved to laugh at the absurdities of life.

He's survived by his wife Carolyn, his son Michael and his daughter Melissa (who by the way, also runs into burning buildings) and his five siblings.

We love you Michael and we miss you already.

You were one of the good ones.

 

UPDATE: News story in the Trib today on my baby bro.