Parrella's wife, Lauren, shared the news of his passing in an emotional Facebook post on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
"Craig was quite simply one of the best people I ever knew," she writes. I have loved him since I was 22 years old and will love him until my last breath. He was kind, thoughtful, sweet, funny, selfless, talented, loving, and so much more.
"Craig gave me a love and adoration that most people don’t find in their life time. I was lucky enough to experience what true love really was."
Parrella, of Hamburg (Sussex County), spent nearly three decades in law enforcement, having been promoted to sergeant in 2016. He was also a firearms instructor, field training officer, and instructor at the Bergen County Police Academy.
Parrella transitioned into real estate after retirement. A man of many talents, he often shared his passion for music, posting videos of himself playing guitar on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
The news of Parrella's passing sent shockwaves through the community.
Parrella is also survived by his son, Justin, and his daughter, Emilie.
"Over the years, I rarely posted pics of my children, especially when they were younger," he said in a Facebook post last November. "Now, they have become outstanding young adults!"
Parrella noted their academic excellence before concluding: "More importantly, they are kind, thoughtful, and generous! I couldn’t be more proud of them 💕."
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