Slain OPP officer lived life of faith, integrity
WINGHAM, ON—Constable Vu Pham died as he had lived: as a man of faith and integrity.
"Vu had an unwavering faith in God and his church," recalled fellow constable, Dell Mercey, in the eulogy for his partner. "Sometimes the police office where just the officers hang out can sound a little bit like a pool hall. You never heard Vu partake in that language, but he would never judge.
"He wouldn't force his beliefs upon you unless you asked. On a few occasions I would discuss God and religion with him, but it would have been me that brought up the topic and he would answer my questions," said Mercey. "Vu always made me feel comfortable with his answers. He was very committed to his community and his church."
Pham, a 15-year Ontario Provincial Police veteran, was shot and killed in early March during a routine traffic stop. The alleged shooter, Fred Preston, was shot by police during the incident. Preston was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder shortly before he died in hospital.
Details of Pham's life emerged in the aftermath of the shooting. The 37-year-old was born in Saigon, Vietnam, came to Canada with an uncle and was adopted by the former pastor of the Elmira Pentecostal Church, Dan Thompson and his wife Terry.
Belinda Burston remembers Pham as a quiet teenager who was part of the youth group she and her husband led in Tottenham about 20 years ago.
"Our son Peter got to know him over the course of one weekend," says Burston, recalling the time the Thompsons needed to be away and asked Peter to stay with Pham. Burston lost contact with Pham, but works with his adopted brother, Mike Thompson, in the Christian Horizons' north district office.
Pham joined the OPP in 1995 and had worked in the Cochrane and Parry Sound detachments before being posted to Huron County.
Moving to Wingham with his wife Heather and sons Tyler, Jordan and Joshua, Pham became active as a deacon at the local Pentecostal church, as a soccer coach and as a director of the Wingham Minor Hockey Association.
Many who paid tribute to Pham mentioned his faith, says Burston who attended the funeral.
"It really came across loud and clear. He was somebody who didn't speak a lot about faith; he lived his faith. His integrity shone loud and clear."
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