Struggling to hold back his tears, Pennsylvania State Trooper Christopher Graf shared memories of his friend and colleague, the late state Trooper Michael E. Pahira Jr., at a funeral service held Wednesday at their former high school, North Schuylkill.

Pahira, 44, who had served just shy of 20 years, was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer that veered off the highway on July 1 as he stood alongside a truck he had pulled over on Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County for a brake inspection.

Graf, who’d been best buds with “Mikey” since middle school, drew smiles, nods and tears from the full auditorium as he spoke, his voice at times trembling with grief.

“Mike, you were literally the big brother I never had. I’ll never forget our younger years, when you watched over me in so many ways, protecting me and guiding me through the years,” Graf said.

“I’ll also never forget the times you picked on me like a little brother as well. We would call each other’s mom ‘Mom,’ and oddly enough, we would call each other’s father ‘Old Man.’ I’d walk in the house, and your mom would ask if I was hungry. I would say, ‘No, I’m good.’ She would reply, ‘Graf, you’re a little skinny, you need to eat.’ You’d come into my house, my mom would say, ‘Mikey, are you hungry?’ ‘Mom, I’m always hungry,’ you’d reply.

My mom had a simple answer: ‘You know where the fridge is. Help yourself.’

“We met back in seventh grade in this very building, and we stayed friends ever since,” Graf said.

That friendship grew strong over the years, with a shared love of cigars and good-natured ribbing.

After Pahira landed his first full-time job as a trooper, Graf would ask him how it was going.

“You’d simply reply, ‘Life is good, brother,’ a phrase I heard only a few weeks ago when you stopped by the academy just to see how things were going,” Graf recalled.

“Go with God and the angels, brother,” he said. “Not only do we have the watch, but we have the family and the friends as well. Everyone will be watched and taken care of. You have a much bigger family than you will ever know. You are at peace, and you will be forever missed by anyone who’s had the privilege of knowing you. God bless each and every one of you.”

A big heart

Pahira’s uncle, retired Trooper Bill McHale, recalled how proud he was that his nephew chose to be a state trooper.

Referring to the photos of Pahira shown before the service, McHale said, “I see the wrestling champion who dominated in sport. I see the loving son, brother, uncle, nephew and cousin who was always there for his family and friends. But most of all, I see him as a man of great character and integrity with the heart of a giant.

“I have two cherished memories: One was the day that I was able to give Mike his badge, the day he graduated from the State Police Academy. The other memory that I’d like to mention is right before I retired, I drove up to Fern Ridge to ride a patrol shift with Mike, and during my time with Mike on that shift, I was able to see, observe how he conducted himself, and became so impressed by his character. His physical stature demanded attention. He’s a big guy. The way he conducted himself demanded respect,” McHale said.

Outstanding individual

Pahira’s high school wrestling coach, Rick Edwards, recounted his skill and determination. Pahira held the PIAA record for the fastest pin — seven seconds, a record that remains unbroken.

Edwards listed the characteristics of an outstanding individual: honesty, loyalty, respect for others, unselfishness, desire, determination, dedication, hard work, self-discipline, kindness, faith, positive mental attitude, confidence, have fun, leadership, mental toughness, pride, common sense, love of learning, love of life and love of family.

“I know for a fact that Mikey had every single attribute that I just mentioned. He’s a heck of a young man, and of course his life has been cut too short. We love you, Mikey. And save me a seat next to the wrestling mat when you get there,” Edwards said.

He said the Pahira family is planning to establish a wrestling scholarship in their son’s name to benefit future Spartan wrestlers.

State Police Acting Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens told the crowd of mourners, including hundreds of state troopers, about the time in January 2016 when Pahira and other law enforcement officers helped rescue people trapped in a burning apartment building in Pottsville.

“They formed a human chain and made entry into a structure with extremely limited visibility,” Bivens said. “In conditions so heavy with smoke that they could only see inches ahead, they pushed through the building, evacuating residents and locating a victim, calling for help on the upper floors. Despite the rapidly spreading fire and collapsing conditions, they remained inside long enough to ensure that everyone they could reach was brought out safely.”

The loss of a son

Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke, describing the memories the late trooper’s family had shared with him.

“Despite being a big tough guy and a wrestling champ, he had a soft spot in his heart for his nieces, Brielle and Brynn, especially for his mom,” Shapiro said. “He cared deeply for those he loved. He recently moved in with his parents to help take care of his mom, who’s battling cancer. He loved to cook and was a darn good cook, too, I’ve heard, and he would cook for his parents and his family. In fact, the night before he was taken from us, Mikey made steak and chicken fajitas for dinner. He made his dad, Big Mike, eat the chicken, and he served the steak to his mom because he wanted her to have more iron in her diet to be able to deal with the cancer treatment she was facing.”

Celebrant Monsignor William Glosser spoke of Pahira’s selflessness in an era of increasing egocentrism.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world that is not very respectful anymore, respectful of human life,” he said. “It’s all about me, and what can I get out of the world, and not love and care for others. We are a people who mourn today because too many people today don’t respect themselves, and they don’t respect others. We don’t respect each other with harsh words, with violence. We don’t respect each other when we drive impaired. We don’t respect others when we’re distracted while we drive, it’s all about me and where I need to go, and Michael died trying to make sure that other people respect each other.”

After the service, a white-gloved state trooper solemnly carried Pahira’s granite urn from the auditorium to be carried to the cemetery, where a private interment was held.

The route was lined with mourners; the local volunteer fire company hoisted flags from ladders.

As family, friends, colleagues and strangers bid farewell to the well-liked state trooper, the man accused of killing him when his truck veered off I-81 in Cass Township sits in Schuylkill County Prison under $700,000 bail.

Michael Bon, 33, a Haitian immigrant who was in the country illegally, is charged with vehicular homicide and other crimes.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. July 15 in the county courthouse, Pottsville.