Officer Mark Vasquez: a hero by any definition

By Alex Wyckoff
Staff Writer

The month of May marked tragedy for the local police. On the morning of May 15, MBPD Officer Mark Vasquez took his final breath in a battle against cancer that lasted nearly five years. He died in his Torrance home at the age of 36, surrounded by his family.

After fighting against his diagnosis since January of 2007, he died from multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer that targets bone marrow and the plasma within blood cells.

“I have never known a man more courageous and full of passion for the betterment of all those around him. It has truly been an honor to have knownMark and called him a friend,” former MBPD Police Chief Rod Udeya said in an interview with the Daily Breeze.

In early 2007, Vasquez experienced reported back pains, and an MRI revealed that he had a malignant tumor in his back. Though the tumor was removed, this didn’t rid him of cancer completely. He was hospitalized eight times and went through chemotherapy as well as two stem cell transplants. Despite this, he retained strength for quite a while. Numerous officers nicknamed him “Superman” because there were numerous points where he regained enough health to return to work.

“I’m a real positive guy,” Vasquez was quoted as saying. “These people got me believing I’m Superman now.”

Vasquez leaves behind his two daughters, Madison and Ashley, as well as his wife, Lee.

“It’s such a loss to the city of Manhattan Beach,” freshman KJ O said. “He was not only an amazing officer, but he was just an amazing person overall. I remember meeting him in 7th grade because at Manhattan Beach Middle School, ASB held a fundraiser to raise money for him by selling tulips for him for his Garden of Hope, which still remains at MBMS. There was always a smile on his face to keep us strong.”

The Garden of Hope was a fundraising event at MBMS which started in February of 2007. People could go to the MBMS student store and donate a dollar to Mark Vasquez for his cancer treatment. Students that were around at the time of the creation of the Garden of Hope will remember Vasquez seeing the garden himself and will also remember various fund raisers for him, during which he became acquainted with numerous students.

“He was brave, both in the line of duty and against his cancer. May he never be forgotten,” MBMS alumni Cj Vanek said.

Last August, 120 pints of blood were donated by 160 of Vasquez’s family members, friends and even complete strangers that were simply touched by his story, his upbeat attitude, and his smile.

“He was the glue that kept the family together with that great smile of his. I’m really going to miss him.” Vasquez’s father said to the Daily Breeze.

On May 26, Vasquez was taken from his home at night and brought to Green Hills Mortuary.

“He was lost, but he will not be forgotten. He looked into the face of fear and laughed as he fought to his last breath. To serve and protect with honor forever,” freshman Robert Norman said.

At Vasquez’s funeral procession Hawthorne motorcycle officer Andrew Garton and El Segundo officer Rex Fowler collided on 227th Street in Torrance, heading Southbound on Hawthorne Boulevard. Garton was thrown into incoming traffic and was hit by a car. Though both officers were rushed to the hospital, Garton, at 44, died, and Fowler was left with heavy injuries. Fowler currently has a broken leg but is in stable condition at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The funeral procession was headed from American Martyrs Catholic Church to Green Hills Memorial Park.

“Like with any tragedy, our department has to keep moving forward no matter the toll it has taken on us. Although it’s devastating, we continue to do what we love to do in order to honor the men and to serve the public,” El Segundo’s Chief of Police Mitch Tavera said.