Gail Chetcuti, 48, died after an eight-week fight with brain cancer and melanoma after lapsing into a coma on Tuesday night. She was surrounded by family, said Chris Co, the Millbrae Police Department spokeswoman.
“She was a big part of the Millbrae Police Department family,” Co said. “She will definitely be missed. At least she is with her husband Dave now.”
On 25 April, 1998, Maltese police officer David Chetcuti was shot 15 times after receiving a call to assist a San Bruno police officer on southbound Highway 101 near Millbrae Avenue. Marvin Patrick Sullivan had been stopped for a traffic violation.
Sullivan was arrested and reportedly was in possession of multiple weapons and pipe bombs. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and found incompetent to stand trial.
In 2002, Superior Court Judge Dale Hahn sentenced Sullivan to Napa State Hospital. He will be re-sentenced in 2005.
Since her husband’s death, Mrs Chetcuti had been politically active – supporting a state-wide bill to force mentally ill defendants to take psychiatric medication.
She was also a part of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), said Millbrae Police Capt. Michael Grogan.
“After David was killed, she would help other widows going through their loss. She’d be there for the family,” Grogan said. “It’s certainly a traumatic situation for the entire department. Everyone here is in mourning.”
Millbrae resident Marge Colapietro met Mrs Chetcuti during the dedication ceremony for the David J. Chetcuti Memorial Community Room in 2001.
“I think she was absolutely one of the most heroic people in Millbrae I’ve ever known, because of the ultimate sacrifice her family has experienced with the murder of her husband,” Ms Colapietro said.
“She’s a really good mom and was very supportive of Dave when he was working here,” said Sgt Ron Caine, who was also Chetcuti’s neighbour. “We’d see her on a daily basis. She told me, ‘I’m going to fight this with everything I have.’ The fight didn’t last long.”
Mrs Chetcuti is survived by her three sons – her oldest, David, is a community service officer for the Millbrae Police Department.
The viewing and recitation of therosary is scheduled for today at St Dunstan Church, Millbrae. The funeral is being held tomorrow at St Dunstan Church and burial is at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.