Thousands Gather To Pay Respects To Pennsylvania State Trooper Branden Sisca, Funeral To Be Held On Saturday
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- It's a somber day. With heavy hearts, law enforcement officers from all 50 states streamed into the funeral home Friday afternoon to pay their respects to fallen Pennsylvania State Police trooper Branden Sisca.
"When you lose one like this, it's just, it's devastating," retired Pennsylvania State Police trooper Joseph Altieri said.
The viewing comes one day after the funeral of fallen trooper Martin Mack.
The two were hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver on I-95 South in Philly last week as they were trying to rescue 28-year-old Reyes Rivera Oliveras, who was walking on the highway.
The driver, Jayana Webb, was arrested.
"It's very tragic," Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Brent Miller said. "Not only did we lose one trooper, we lost both troopers and also a pedestrian as well."
Kyle Bickel didn't know the troopers, but he brought his 1- and 3-year-old sons on a 10-hour drive from Columbus, Ohio to be at the viewing and support the family.
"They are little ducks that we pass out, it has our information on there and we tell 'em if they ever need anything to reach out to us," Bickel said.
Sisca is remembered for his bravery and heroism. The 29-year-old enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in February last year. He was also the chief of the Trappe fire company.
"That's what we see with both trooper Mack and trooper Sisca, they were big parts of their community," Cpl. Miller said.
Sisca leaves behind a pregnant wife and an unborn daughter.
A father who made the ultimate sacrifice for his community.
"Whenever we lose a trooper, and in this case two troopers, it really, when you go home at night, it makes you hug your loved ones even harder," Cpl. Miller said.
Firefighters are asking those who didn't get to attend the viewing on Friday to line the funeral procession route on Saturday ahead of trooper Sisca's funeral at noon.
The procession will be leaving the funeral home at 10:30 a.m., traveling West on Germantown Pike, and continuing west on Main Street in Collegeville into Trappe Borough. Left on Route 113, right on Borough Line Road, right on 5th Avenue passing the Trappe Fire Company. The procession will turn right onto Main Street, left on Route 113, and left on Route 29 to the High School.
See the map below with the highlighted route.
You can watch Sisca's funeral Saturday at noon streaming on CBS News Philly and in the player above.
