Annual Hero Thrill Show in South Philadelphia gives back to those who lost family members in the line of duty
PHILADELPHIA -- Saturday was the annual Hero Thrill Show in South Philly, where a team of police and firefighters showcased their talents. The show also gave back to those who have lost family members in the line of duty.
"A lot of people don't see the other side of the police and I've seen it firsthand and like I said it's been amazing," Rosemary Jenners, a Hero Thrill Show attendee, said. "I feel like I'm a part of the family."
Officers lined the outside parking lot of the Wells Fargo Center with their motorcycles. The event kicked off with the National Anthem sung by 15-year-old Nathanael Barlow.
"As a young Black man singing the National Anthem and being around police can sometimes be a negative connotation," Barlow said. "And I think I really wanted to break that down and give people a different point of view."
Since 2006, the fundraising event has been paying the full college tuition of all the children of any fallen Philadelphia police officers and firefighters.
In between the fire drill demonstrations and a mock police chase, there's one young aspiring police officer who came dressed for the part.
"I got my radio, my phone, my tool kit, my fake ammo, my toy gun, my flashlight and all my other stuff," Rocko Smith said.
For the hundreds of families at the event, they say this gives them a chance to connect with officers and see them in a different light.
"We need that now more than ever so absolutely. Everything that they do for everybody. We love coming out and supporting them," Erica Smith, who attended the show, said.
