On a rainy Wednesday morning, it seemed like all of Buffalo wanted to pay their respects to fallen Buffalo Police Officer Craig Lehner. Several hundred people packed the intersection at Delaware Avenue and North Street, some waiting hours for the funeral procession to make its way toward Forest Lawn Cemetary.
"I thank God for him," Dave Bizub said. "People who step out and do the service they do to protect us. It just shows what Buffalonians truly are. They'll go out and step out of their way to honor and respect our police officers. I think it's great."
The city gathered together to remember a fallen hero. Officer Craig Lehner's casket passed underneat a massive American flag hung by the Buffalo Fire Department.
"He protected and served for the public. So now it's my turn to come out and pay my respects to him," Marc Anderson said. "That's what we do. We all come out and gather together when stuff gets hard in this city."
For Michelle Walker, the funeral procession was a mix of emotions.
"Sad. But kind of proud," she explained. "Even though he can't see it and he doesn't know what's going on, his family sees it. His friends see it. His colleagues see it."
Hundreds of people standing together in the rain, doing their best to be sure Officer Lehner's sacrifice is never forgotten.
