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Shock mixed with profound sadness as word spread that a heart attack cut down a man who was known to be as kind as he was powerful.
He was only 61.
Hanrahan was headed to his son's house in his 2020 Dodge Ram 1500 when he was stricken on Route 287 in Morris County around 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27.
The dashcam shows the vehicle slowing to a stop as it rolled off the pavement before coming to rest at a metal guardrail.
Emergency responders furiously tried to revive the beloved veteran lawman all the way to Morristown Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Hanrahan was enjoying retirement, living part-time in Jupiter, FL, his son, Kevin, said. He regularly lifted weights and ran miles.
It just made his sudden death that much more shocking.
The pain was felt not just in Hanrahan's Hawthorne hometown, which he never left. It also spread through the ranks of current and retired officers of both the state and Passaic County Park police departments and among those across the region.
Many who loved Hanrahan may someday recall with fondness that the last game his beloved Miami Dolphins played before he died was one of the most memorable in NFL history – a record-setting 70-20 rout of the Denver Broncos last Sunday.
As a policeman, Hanrahan didn’t follow the usual street patrol path.
He began his law enforcement career with the mounted unit of the county park police department. What followed were 32 distinguished years with the NJSP, including command of the Marine Services Bureau prior to his retirement.
A member of the Former Troopers Association and the Emerald Society of Totowa, Hanrahan is being remembered the way many of us would want to be.
“We admired him as a friend and father figure,” wrote Stephanie Tangora. “His friendship will impact the rest of our lives.”
Hundreds upon hundreds have expressed similar sentiments to Hanrahan’s family. They’ve described the late law enforcement veteran as kind and honorable, a gentleman with a heart of gold, a role model and mentor, and a “a gem of a human being” who was very proud of his children.
Ilona Gedutiene called Hanrahan “a superhero” but said “his best work, however, was being a dad.”
Hanrahan is survived by his beloved Paulette, son Kevin John Hanrahan and his fiancée Diana of Totowa, and daughter Nichole Hanrahan of Vernon, along with many other relatives and countless friends.
A funeral procession is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, from the Browning-Forshay Funeral Home, 557 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne to an 11 a.m. funeral mass at St. Anthony’s R.C. Church, 276 Diamond Bridge Avenue, Hawthorne.
Cremation will be private.
Visiting hours will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, at Browning-Forshay.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Troopers United Foundation at troopersunited.org. Checks can then be mailed to Troopers United Foundation, PO Box 1236. Hammonton, NJ 08037. Please include “Lt. Kevin Hanrahan” in the memo line on the check.
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