'I couldn't be prouder of a son,' says grieving father of fallen West York Police officer
Gary Duarte of Danville, California received a text on Saturday morning from his ex-wife saying: "Drew's been shot. Call me."
Their son, West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte, responded to an active shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital, where a man had taken the staff of the ICU hostage. Five people — a doctor, a nurse, a custodian and two officers, suffered injuries. Duarte was mortally wounded.
Nancy Duarte Matarese informed the father that there had been an incident at a hospital, and she was being escorted by police to another medical center. Gary Duarte said he subsequently called his local priest and asked him to pray for their son.
His ex-wife later called back while meeting with doctors at the hospital and placed it on speaker phone. He listened as the physicians explained that their son had been hit in the chest, and he had suffered damage to his lungs and blood vessels to his heart. There was nothing they could do.
Officer Andrew Duarte, 30, died at 12:19 p.m. Saturday from his injuries, the York County Coroner's office said.
He was their only child.
"I still have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that he's gone," Gary Duarte said.
Officer Andrew Duarte died exactly one year after the death of his grandmother, Betty Duarte, who love him dearly. Both perished in the afternoon, Gary Duarte said.
Andrew Duarte grew up in California and graduated from Berean Christian High School in 2013. He didn't want to stay in The Golden State, his father said, and chose to study criminal justice at California University of Pennsylvania, now part of Pennsylvania Western University. His mother lives in York County.
Andrew Duarte graduated summa cum laude in less than four years. His took his first job in law enforcement as a seasonal police officer in Ocean City, Maryland, and subsequently landed a job with the Denver Police Department in Colorado in 2017.
He developed a passion for driving under the influence enforcement, his father said. He became a leader as a state drug recognition expert, and in 2021, he received a Hero Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving Colorado for his effort to save lives, according to the nonprofit organization.
Gary Duarte thinks his son missed his family. He applied for a job the West York Borough Police Department and started there in 2022.
Gary Duarte said he followed the news on the small department's Facebook page, and he'd ask his son about his work.
His son purchased a house in York Township a little more than a year ago.
"When he bought a home, I knew that's where he wanted to be," Gary Duarte said.
Officer Andrew Duarte was a small man, his father said, but "he had the heart of a lion."
It didn't surprise Gary Duarte that his son was at the scene of the active shooter incident to protect the lives of innocent people. He described Andrew Duarte as brave and dedicated.
His death is a tragic loss for his family and the community, Gary Duarte said.
He remembered his son as a wonderful, loving and caring young man.
"I couldn't be prouder of a son," he said. "He was amazing."
Gary Duarte will by flying to the East Coast this week for the funeral services for his son. A service to celebrate Officer Andrew Duarte's life will be held Friday afternoon at Living Word Community Church in Windsor Township. It will be livestreamed for the public to watch.
While he is in town, Gary Duarte plans to visit the West York Borough Police department, the hospital and businesses that have been hosting fundraisers for the family.
He has seen pictures of the memorial of candles, flowers and balloons on the steps of the police department. He has watched videos of law enforcement processions escorting his son's body. And he has been following the news coverage about his son's death and the community's response to the tragedy.
Duarte said he has been humbled by the outpouring of love and support for the family.
"That gives us a lot of comfort," he said.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Dad of fallen West York officer: 'I couldn't be prouder of a son'
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The last time Nancy Duarte Matarese saw her son alive was on Thursday, Feb. 20 when he came over for breakfast. He was wearing the new clothes and shoes she had bought him for his birthday, which was on Monday, Feb. 17. They were going to take a walk but ran out of time because she needed to go to work. "I hugged him and kissed him goodbye and I told him to be smart and be safe, which I always did," she said. His mother said she can see him walking out the driveway and getting into his car. She would always stand on the porch and wave. Mourners from across the country flew or drove to York County to pay their respects during his funeral service on Friday, Feb. 28 at Living Word Community Church in York Township. Hundreds of police vehicles participated in his funeral procession. Nancy Duarte Matarese said she had no idea how many mourners would attend her son's funeral to honor him. "To really witness the brotherhood of police officers and the fellowship of police officers and how deep that runs, I had no idea," she said. "And I could see why Andrew liked it. Because you know, you've got each other's back and I could see why he liked that. There's something about being part of something like that." Many people gave of their time and effort to plan the massive funeral in less than a week, she said. They set aside their life for a period of time for her son, who they may not have known. "Everybody that spoke did such an amazing job, and the service was really amazing," she said. Nancy Duarte Matarese's home is filled with flowers and artwork created in her son's memory. She also received a prayer shawl and an afghan made by a woman in her 90s. She said her son was a blessing every day. He had accepted Christ as his savior when he was a teenager. "I'm not confused about where he is. I know he's in heaven, and there's comfort in that," she said. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Officer Andrew Duarte's mother speaks about his death and her memories
