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WHEREAS, Mr. Thomas De Lange, a Philadelphian born and bred, was raised in Port Richmond, but he has lived in the Northeast for ten years, and today, he is the pride of Bustleton. This hard-working father of four took his first job at sixteen, served his country in the Navy, has worked for the U.S. Mint and the Parking Authority, and has been a Prison Correctional Officer for ten years; and
WHEREAS, Although October 14, 1999 started out as a day like any other, Mr. De Lange happened to notice two suspicious looking men leaving the home of his 85 and 90-year-old neighbors, Anna and Andor Pusztay. As the two men started running toward Red Lion Road on Haldeman, Mr. De Lange ran to check on his neighbors, and then went after then men; and
WHEREAS, As Mr. De Lange gave chase, he pulled his truck in front of theirs, showed his badge, pinned the men in, and held them until the crowd which had gathered called 911 and the police arrived. The jewelry which the men had stolen from the Pusztays on the pretext of being Water Department Inspectors was recovered; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Pusztays are fine, two men are in jail, and what police later described as an ongoing scam against the elderly has been stopped. As for Mr. Tom De Lange, he is still the family man he always was, still goes to work every day, still is a member of the Maternity BVM Church, and still maintains the cheerful, kind personality which has endeared him to one and all. The only difference is that now he is regarded as a true hero, who used his badge to the benefit of the entire community and who put the safety of his neighbors above his own. He has brought credit to this government, pride to all of Bustleton and joy to his family; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor and commend Mr. Thomas W. De Lange for his bravery and great civic spirit. He has made our City a safer more neighborly place for us all, and today the gratitude of this Council is his.
RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Thomas W. De Lange as evidence of the respect and deep admiration of this legislative body.
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