Mayor Cherelle Parker said Chan’s legacy will continue to live on in Philadelphia through his family.
“I thank you, the family, for sharing him with us, and we thank God that his light shines a little brighter in the city of Philadelphia because we can wrap our arms around his legacy,” Parker said.
The mayor extended an offer to the family for one of Chan’s children to be an intern with the mayor’s office.
“We want to ensure that same connection that your father displayed in serving the people of the city of Philadelphia, that you’re able to continue the legacy of leadership that was before you,” she said.
Chan’s wife Ping Chan spoke about how special a man her husband was.
“He mentored me. He brought out the best in me,” she said. “He believed in me and he saw something that I didn’t see,” she said.
Chan was on the scene of a fatal Amtrak accident in the Port Richmond neighborhood, pulling people to safety after the train derailed.
Bethel said Chan earned almost every medal the police department has to offer, and some multiple times. The department is renaming the police Medal of Excellence, which he was awarded posthumously, after him.
Chan was originally injured in a crash in 2019 when he was hit by a minivan along Rhawn Street between Roosevelt Boulevard and Frankford Avenue.
Chan was a 24-year veteran of the force. He leaves behind a wife and three children. An annual fundraiser for his care turned into a memorial last Friday night.