Trump prayed with grieving family of slain NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller during wake in ‘beautiful’ moment: priest
Former President Trump prayed the Lord’s Prayer with the grieving family of Jonathan Diller at the slain NYPD detective’s wake Thursday — and was cheered on by the cop’s son, the ceremony celebrant recalled.
“It was just such a beautiful human, simple moment that meant so much to the family and so much to the people in that room,” Rev. Michael Duffy told Human Interest outside of Diller’s funeral Saturday.
Trump flew to Long Island Thursday after he was personally invited by Diller’s grieving family to celebrate the life of Detectiver Diller, who was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens.
The Republican presidential nominee offered his condolences to Diller’s young wife Stephanie and their 1-year-old son Ryan, with Trump later telling The Post he promised her he would work to ensure her husband’s death was not in vain.
The widow then introduced Trump to Duffy as the priest who presided over her wedding just a few years earlier.
“I was able to just say, ‘Mr. President, thank you for being here. Thank you for your goodness to this family. Would you be willing to pray with us?'” Duffy recalled.
“And he said, ‘Of course, Father Duffy.'”
Trump then joined the entire room in reciting the Lord’s Prayer, which asks for God’s forgiveness and protection against Satan.
“Then the President so beautifully turned and kissed baby Ryan on the forehead. And the baby clapped at the president. It just broke the tension,” Duffy said.
After attending the wake, Trump told The Post how bewildering it was that baby Ryan doesn’t even understand how greatly his life has been affected by the senseless violence that took his father’s life.
Photos taken at the funeral show Ryan reaching with arms outstretched toward his father’s flag-draped casket — while his heartbroken mother tenderly kisses the tot’s head.
Following the service, Diller was laid to rest at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
His suspected killer, Guy Rivera, was charged from his hospital bed Thursday with murder, attempted murder and weapons possession.
He is accused of shooting Diller once in the stomach below his bulletproof vest when the cop approached the vehicle Rivera was in for parking in front of a bus stop.
Rivera has 21 prior arrests and was found to have a shiv stored in his rectum during the shooting — in apparent anticipation of being sent to jail again.
Lindy Jones, the ex-con behind the wheel of the car during the shooting, was also arrested after a second gun was found in his car.
