On December 22, 1980, 6-year-old Brian Perry and his younger sister were at their grandmother’s house with their mother, busy with holiday preparations. Brian and his sister were filled with wonderment and anticipation of Christmas morning.

A knock on the front door was answered by Brian’s mother. She was met by a somber police officer who told her there had been an accident. 

Brian and his sister were not really aware of the sudden increase of activity in their grandmother’s house. Brian’s mother hugged her children, telling them she needed to go out for a while.

Brian’s father, Port Authority Police Officer William Perry, had been in a Harrison, New Jersey, courtroom, appearing in connection with a narcotics arrest. When he was finished testifying, he hopped on a PATH train to return to his command, the PAPD PATH Precinct in Jersey City. 

It is easy to imagine the 32-year-old officer’s mind occupied with thoughts of being with his wife and two young children on Christmas Eve and the innocence and awe on his children’s faces on Christmas morning. Those beautiful thoughts that comforted Perry never became Christmas blessings for his family.

While on the train, Perry was alerted to a man smoking a cigarette and harassing passengers. Perry, who was in plainclothes, approached the man, identified himself as a police officer and told the man he could not smoke on the train. He instructed the man to extinguish the cigarette. The man refused and became combative as the train pulled into the Journal Square PATH Station in Jersey City. 

When the train stopped and doors opened, Perry removed the man from the train. The man’s combative behavior escalated to a physical struggle on the station platform. The struggle resulted in both men falling from the platform to the tracks. As the fight continued, the man was able to rise, produced a handgun and fired multiple shots, killing Perry. The man fled and was eventually apprehended in Atlanta, Georgia, by Port Authority and Atlanta detectives.

Though Perry was wearing a bulletproof vest, there were no impact marks on it. What detectives discovered was that Perry’s badge was struck by a bullet that ricocheted into his neck. That was the fatal shot.

“We had a funeral mass when we should have been enjoying Christmas Eve dinner.”

William Perry was buried on Christmas Eve. The Perry family’s 1980 Christmas became an unthinkable family tragedy that remains a part of every Christmas since.

In a story on the Answer the Call website, answerthecall.org, Brian’s mother discussed her husband’s sacrifice, saying, “Our children were 5 and 6 years old. They have gone through their entire life without him, and I will spend the rest of my life knowing they missed out on such a wonderful father.”

Brian Perry added, “We had a funeral mass when we should have been enjoying Christmas Eve dinner.” He continued, “You never really move on from something as terrible as having your father murdered right before Christmas, but you do learn to move forward.”

Brian, who is a successful executive and author, said he tries to turn his terrible memories of losing his father into positive and happy memories. He reminisces about the Christmas seasons he dressed as Santa and with his wife delivered gifts to hospitalized children. He even proposed to his wife on the anniversary of his father’s murder, adding a wonderful memory to that date. And, as a loving and personal honor to his father, Brian named his son William, “after the grandfather he’ll never get to meet.”

Though Brian’s youth was marred by tragedy, as a father it instilled in him a loving, caring relationship with his children — a relationship influenced by the love of his father. He wants his children to enjoy everything surrounding Christmas, the decorations, the sight of colorful holiday lights, the smell of a Christmas tree, the sounds of Christmas carols and the loving gathering of family.

Brian authored a novel called The Holiday Party, a book he said is in honor of his father and first responders “that have paid the last full measure of devotion in the service of their fellow citizens.” 

He went on, “I wrote the book shortly after the birth of my first son as a way to impart some life wisdom he could read in the future if I wasn’t around to give it to him — as was the case with me and my father. And of course, the police officer [character] was closely linked to my father. I’ve also been told that there was a priest present with my father after he got shot. That was the impetus for that character in the book.” 

An overview of The Holiday Party on the Barnes & Noble website calls it “a touching reminder of the sacrifices police and their families make. This heartwarming and inspirational book is for anyone that has been through a difficult time.”

Police Officer Perry’s killer was convicted and sentenced to 46 years in prison. He was released after serving only 22 years.

Brian doesn’t spend any time thinking about the release of his father’s killer from prison. “Life is too short, so I don’t think about it at all. It’s obviously unfair but there isn’t anything I can do, and I once heard someone say that resentment is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. Why should I make myself miserable obsessing over a murderer?”

For many, the Christmas season is a special and blessed time of year, full of joy and the love of family and friends. Yet, tragedies do not cease for holidays. Every cop is well aware of that when swearing an oath to always act. That oath does not have days off. Police officers selflessly and with bold and daring courage honor their oaths, taking action to protect others. 

That is what William Perry did. He honored his sacred oath to his “last full measure of devotion” in service to those he swore to protect. There is no greater love.