PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) A motorcyclist who was among seven killed in a collision with a pickup truck last week was a family man, proud Marine and dedicated public servant, mourners said Friday at a funeral that drew about 200 people, including leather-clad bikers and law enforcement officers.
The funeral for Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, New Hampshire, was held at a church in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The rumbling of motorcycles echoed through town as dozens of bikes made their way to the service.
Many riders were fellow members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, with which Ferazzi and the other six killed were riding when they died. They hugged one another as Ferazzis flag-draped casket was carried into the church and offered a military salute alongside their bikes as the service ended with the Marine Corps hymn on bagpipes.
Tough to lose your brothers, especially so many at one time, said Jarheads member Paul Downey as he and his fellow bikers got on their motorcycles for the ride to the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
He had a lot more life in him, said retired Lt. Col. Joe Murray. Ferazzi, a former Marine, was in his American Legion post, he said, and the two marched in parades together.
He didnt need to die when he was obviously enjoying the ride with his buddies, Murray said. But its good he died doing something he loved.
Ferazzis oldest son, Matthew Ferazzi, remembered a father who loved motorcycles and spending time with his family. He recalled golfing with his dad, going to Boston Red Sox games and how he enjoyed holidays.
His dad, he said, loved doling out nicknames and was a fighter, even in the face of cancer that had returned in January.
The thing that brings us all together is love, love for my Dad, Ferazzi said.
A funeral also was held for Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island. Visitation was held at a Laconia funeral home for Desma Oakes, 42, who died with her boyfriend in the crash.
They are among seven bikers killed last week when a pickup truck hauling a flatbed trailer crashed into the group in Randolph. The pickup driver, Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 23, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to negligent homicide.
The Jarheads, a group of about 80 bikers and their supporters from across New England, served as a second family and a refuge for the members, many who left the service but still craved the brotherhood they discovered in the Marines.
With a logo that is anchored by the military branchs bulldog, the group serves as a charity and social club. Many chapters are housed in American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.
Manny Ribeiro, the Jarheads president, who survived the crash, described a family-oriented group whose members are doing their best to support the victims families. The group has received donations from Marines around the globe, and veterans are flying in from as far as the Netherlands for the funerals.
Ferazzi was a father of four who served as a Plymouth police officer for 34 years. He served in the Marines for four years, including a stint at in security at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. He also was a National Guard member and worked as a courthouse security officer.
Ferazzi grew up in Plymouth, and several childhood friends came to the funeral, recalling how they met in school and remained in touch for decades.
