The day the Tim Lewczuk bridge was renamed in the senior constable’s honour, the late police officer’s parents, Richard and Dot Lewczuk, gathered in a green area at the bridge’s base.
They said they were overcome with emotions.
“We did that there on the day with our other son and his children … and it was overwhelming,” Dot said.
“It’s always tough losing somebody but we were very proud,” Richard said.
Tim joined the police force in 1989, after having worked various jobs, including as a maintenance fitter and a football fitness advisor.
“He came into our house one night and said ‘I’m going to join the police force,’ and that’s it,” Richard said.
On a Saturday night in 1997, Senior Constable Lewczuk and Senior Constable Kylie Towk pulled over a vehicle on the bridge over the Western Freeway, and parked the police car behind it.
As Senior Constable Lewczuk was questioning the driver, another car crashed into the police car.
Senior Constable Lewczuk was thrown over the first car onto the highway below, and tragically died at the scene.
It was the day that changed the family’s lives forever.
Richard and Dot said they were emotional after learning Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were shot and killed in Porepunkah last month.
“For anyone that’s lost somebody while they were on duty, it brings it all back.,” Dot said.
“Time goes on and you have to learn to live with it. It never goes away, and things like that bring it all to the fore.”
Dot said National Police Remembrance Day helps Tim’s legacy to live on.
“It just means that he’s never forgotten,” she said.
A National Police Remembrance day/Blue Ribbon day memorial service will be held at Club Italia, 128-152 Furlong Road, Sunshine, on Thursday, September 25 at 11am.
National Police Remembrance Day will be observed on Monday, September 29, with more services being held across the state.
Donations to the Victoria Police Legacy remembrance fund for families of Porepunkah tragedy can be made here: https://www.policelegacyvic.org.au/
