A revered veteran police officer Brian Kozera who passed away while preparing for the Ironman has left a town in Pennsylvania in deep sorrow. He had 44 years on him.
According to a crash report from the Pennsylvania State Police, cancer survivor Brian Kozera was riding his bike early on Saturday when he ran a stop sign and collided with the passenger side of a pickup truck. Kozera spent 16 years as an officer with the Norristown Police Department.
According to the investigation, Kozera was thrown off his bike and under the truck’s wheels by the impact of the collision.
Kozera was taken to Reading Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds later on.
Brian Koreza was a cancer survivor
In preparation for the Ironman World Championship, veteran police officer, athlete, husband, father, and cancer survivor Brian Kozera was training in Lancaster County. The World Triathlon Corporation, which hosts long-distance triathlon competitions worldwide, is in charge of organising the championship.
In 2015, Kozera triumphed over Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. He owns an Ironman fundraising blog that aims to collect money for advanced cancer research. In a blog post, Kozera detailed his journey combatting cancer. He mentioned:
“My cancer journey began in April 2014, while training for a local triathlon… A hernia landed me in my local hospital, where I learned my life was about to change forever. My surgeon detected a suspicious lymph node which was eventually diagnosed as a rare cancer, called Lymphocyte Depleted Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. To say we were shocked would be an understatement.”
According to the crash investigation, Kozera was donning a helmet at the time of the incident. The driver didn’t leave the scene of the collision.
PEOPLE has contacted the Pennsylvania State Police for more information.
Kozera was a Use of Force teacher and a member of the Bicycle Unit when employed by the Norristown Police Department. According to a Norristown Police Facebook post, he also served as a School Resource Officer at Eisenhower Middle School.
Brian Kozera’s family
Being a family man, Brian Kozera also cherished his time with his wife Kristin and their girls. He also mentioned on his blog that after beating cancer, he was able to introduce outdoor activities to his three kids, Paige, Josie, and Avery.
He praised his daughter Avery and said that her “drive” helped him realise his objectives. Avery was diagnosed with CDKL5 deficient illness, a rare disease. Brian wrote:
