Anthony Fulwood, Philadelphia Police Officer, Bodyguard for Frank Rizzo, Lynne Abraham and Ron Castille, Dies At 72

John F. Morrison at the Philadelphia Daily News offers a fine obituary of former Philadelphia Police Officer Anthony Fulwood, bodyguard to Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo.

TONY FULWOOD had tears in his eyes when he walked into Frank Rizzo's hospital room and saw the mayor in the bed with a broken leg.

Tony felt responsible for the injury, even though it was an accident and even though he was doing his job of protecting the mayor when an explosion rocked the Arco refinery in a nine-alarm fire in 1976, and he fell on Rizzo to protect him from the blast.

"I hope you're not upset with me," Tony blubbered. "I wish I was in that bed instead of you."

"You know, Tony," Rizzo said. "So do I."

Despite the levity, Rizzo hadn't the slightest inclination to blame his bodyguard for the injury. Theirs was a father-son relationship built on mutual respect and love.

Anthony Fulwood, a police officer who served as bodyguard for Rizzo through his terms as police commissioner and mayor, then did the same for Lynne Abraham for 17 years when she was district attorney, then for Ronald Castille, former Pennsylvania chief justice, for several years, died Wednesday of blood cancer. He was 72 and lived in Wynnefield.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/20150622_Anthony_Fulwood__72__bodyguard_for_Frank_Rizzo__Lynne_Abraham_and_Ron_Castille_.html

You can also read Tony Fulwood's obituary in the Philadelphia Inquirer via the below link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150622_Anthony_Fulwood__72__a_bodyguard_for_politicians.html

Note: Over the years I saw Tony Fulwood standing near Frank Rizzo and Lyn Abraham at public events. He was a big, impressive man. My friend Mark Tartaglia, a retired Philadelphia detective, introduced me to him some years ago. Tony Fulwood was a well-respected and well-liked police officer and man.