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Luncheon honors deceased officer

Helmets from various Hillsborough County fire, police, and public safety departments are saluted at the 12th annual Our Heroes Luncheon Thursday.

By JUSTIN GEORGE
Published May 5, 2006

[Times photo: Dan McDuff]

Helmets from various Hillsborough County fire, police and public safety departments are saluted at the 12th annual Our Heroes Luncheon Thursday. The heroes table honors those who lost their lives in the line of duty, and it shows appreciation for those serving the community.

TAMPA - The widow cloaked herself in his cologne in the cavernous, air-conditioned Convention Center Thursday.

It was Estee Lauder's Youth Dew, Tampa police Detective Juan Serrano's favorite cologne. It was the one his wife wore on special occasions when she was with him.

"He liked it on me," Mylin Serrano said. "He would have been here with the mayor, of course. But since it was me, might as well have something that reminded me of him."

From Table 35, she watched as Mayor Pam Iorio introduced her and Serrano's children to the crowd. Juan had been Iorio's personal bodyguard. He died on Feb. 25 when a suspected drunken driver hit his city-issued Ford Taurus as he headed home after a day with the mayor.

"Only thing we had in common was a man," she said. "So we do have a lot in common. Or did."

Juan, 49, was honored Thursday at the 12th Annual Our Heroes Luncheon, along with 18 police, deputies, firefighters and paramedics singled out for exemplary service and bravery. His face went on the projection screen before 2,000 people. A black police hat was placed at the center of a blue banquet table. A spotlight made its silver badge gleam. A bell tolled for him.

Iorio, a regular at this event, cleared her throat before she thanked law enforcement and firefighters for their service.

Watching all this was Mylin, poking at chocolate cake. She did not even lift the metal cover off the main course.

It was just as well, Mylin, 41, said. She recalled how Juan rarely ate at the countless events he attended with the mayor, snacking instead on soy nuts and trail mix his wife bought from Nature's Harvest Market.

Juan never brought a doggie bag home.

A black stripe crossed a miniature silver badge pin that clung to her lapel. She bought the Harve Benard brand pantsuit she wore just for this day. Black designs crisscrossed a predominantly off-white jacket. Her blouse, underneath, was jet black.

"In my culture, they believe if you're widowed you dress in black for a year or the rest of your life," she said. "You'll see me in a lot of grays and black. I don't think I feel right wearing pink or yellow. ... I just feel black."

She said financially she is faring okay, covered by some benefits Juan's death left. But it's the other things she struggles with.

Juan who woke her up at 5:15 a.m. daily with a shot of Cuban coffee. He's the one who remembered all the details, things like birthdays, even what he called their anniversary - April 5, the day they fell in love.

She can't remember what year. He would have.

--Justin George can be reached at 813 226-3368 or jgeorge@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 5, 2006, 02:30:26]