A Miami-Dade Police detective killed in the line of duty was remembered as a hard-working and brave member of the department at an emotional funeral service Wednesday.
Hundreds of fellow officers, local leaders and members of the public joined family members for the memorial service for Det. Cesar "Echy" Echaverry at loanDepot park, the home of the Miami Marlins.
Before the memorial service, hundreds of officers from several law enforcement agencies lined the roads for a solemn procession to carry Echaverry's body from the funeral home to the ballpark.
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After the hearse entered the ballpark and the flag-draped coffin was displayed, speakers fought back tears in describing Echy's ultimate sacrifice.
"The Echaverry family has been dealt the type of pain that as your mayor I prayed no Miami-Dade Police Department family would ever, ever have to bear," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. "Our hearts are aching at the loss of a brave, young and selfless soul that was stolen from us too soon."
Jose "Pepe" Diaz, chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, spoke directly to Echy's family.
"You gave us a hero, thank you for raising such a hard-working, dedicated, humble and driven man," Diaz said. "He was a true testament for our values and our culture."
"He was what every parent would want their child to be. Humble, good-hearted, compassionate and hard-working, a very truly genuine soul," Miami-Dade Police Director Freddie Ramirez said. "As a father I can feel it in my bones what Echy meant to his parents."
Fellow officer and friend Lt. Ernesto Rodriguez recalled how the day Echaverry was shot was his day off, but he'd volunteered to help his unit.
"Until his last day on Earth, he was doing what he wanted to do, protecting others," Rodriguez said.
Sister Sandra Echaverry recalled her childhood with her brother.
"You were a hero in my eyes from a very young age," she said. "Until we see each other again in heaven, I love you with all my heart."
Fiancee Stephanie Vargas spoke about the pain of losing the man she was set to marry next year.
"Cesar was a man I always hoped I'd marry," she said. "Losing Cesar has left a gaping hole in my heart."
After the service, the procession made its way to Miami Executive Airport, where several agencies took park in a flyover before Echaverry's body was loaded on a plane to Nicaragua, where he will be buried.
Before taking off, the plane taxied under an arch of water as a token of respect.
Echaverry, 29, was a five-year veteran with the Miami-Dade Police Department. He was shot Aug. 15 during a confrontation with an armed robbery suspect in Miami. He died in the hospital two days later.
Echaverry was a member of the department's Robbery Intervention Detail, a squad that works in areas that are prone to crime and frequently encounters dangerous suspects.
"Echy died a hero, defending his brothers and sisters and his community from harm. He put his own fears aside, confronting danger so we wouldn't have to," Ramirez said.
Echaverry — also known as "Echy" — was born on Dec. 8, 1992, in Hialeah, and attended John A. Ferguson High School, Miami Dade College, and studied criminal justice at Florida International University.
He loved and played baseball, enjoyed biking and was dedicated to his family and career in law enforcement.
