Chicago Police

Fallen Chicago Officer's Final Words to His Mother Left Her Surprised, Priest Says During Funeral

It all started with a dream Vásquez Lasso said he had days before his death

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During the funeral for fallen Chicago police officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso, a priest at the service shared the unexpected interactions the 32-year-old had during his final days.

It all started with a dream Vásquez Lasso said he had days before his death in which he went to "visit his grandmother in Colombia and he went to share with her."

His family said he told them he wanted to "go say goodbye to my grandmother because I don't know if it's the last time."

"Everyone imagined that it was because of the grandmother, because she is older," Padre Andrés Beltrán said in Spanish. "What we never imagined was that this farewell was Andrés'."

Then, a few days before his death, his mother prepared him a meal, "as she usually does."

"That day Andrés tells his Mom, 'Thank you, what rich and delicious food. Thank you for such delicious food,'" Beltrán said. "His mom was surprised because she said, 'But what did I do differently?' 'It's good, nothing different.'"

Beltrán said the interaction was evidence "God was preparing him for that moment."

"That preparation is only received by people who have a clean soul," he said.

Both of Vásquez Lasso's parents were in the church Thursday as hundreds gathered to pay their respects to the fallen "hero," "champion" and "guardian" in Chicago.

But it wasn't just Vásquez Lasso's final interactions with his family that left some questioning, it was also his social media posts.

Before he was killed in the line of duty, Vásquez Lasso posted a poignant message on Instagram about being a police officer.

"Behind this uniform, there's another human being just like you," the post read. "This uniform doesn't make me a robot. This uniform is not a symbol of hate. This is not a symbol of 'us versus them.' I hate injustice and lawlessness as well. That's why I became a cop. Even though my actions won't change the world, I can change the world of every person I get in contact with."

"And that's definitely what he did," his friend and fellow officer Saúl Cantería said during the funeral service..

"Every police officer is ready to run towards the gun fire or the burning building to save the lives of the people we once swore to protect," Vásquez Lasso's post continued.

His words carried a heavy weight as they were read aloud in a room filled with first responders from around the country.

The Instagram post was also shared by departments around the Chicago area.

"It's a posthumous message that serves as a reminder for all," the Addison Police Department wrote on Facebook.

Vásquez Lasso's death is one of 594 in the department so far.

"You told me in Chicago it gets too cold. You loved to travel to sunny places," Canterìa said. "Well Vásquez, you are now in the sunniest place of all."

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