Patrolman Philip Patrick Maher

Philip Patrick Maher

Patrolman Philip Maher suffered a fatal heart attack after lifting a motorcycle off of man who had just crashed.

Sometime before noon on May 29, 1975, Patrolman Maher ran more than a city block to aid a young man involved in a motorcycle accident at the intersection of 152nd and Lakeshore Blvd. After stopping traffic he quickly assisted the young man over the curb out of harm’s way. He proceeded to go back and pick up the motorcycle and steered it off of the street. Officer Maher called for an ambulance and waited with the victim until help arrived. He then walked back to his corner just in time to cross the children at the noon hour.

It was soon after the above incident that Officer Maher collapsed while crossing the children from Memorial and St. Jerome schools. He was rushed by ambulance to Euclid General Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Patrolman Maher had served with the Cleveland Police Department for 26 years and had previously served with the United States Army during World War II. He was survived by his wife and five children, and four siblings.

As a tribute to him, the square at 152nd Street and Lakeshore Blvd. was renamed Maher Square. A stone monument was placed in his honor from donations collected by the Waterloo Beach Homeowner’s Association, neighbors and the school children. It reads: “This memorial is dedicated to Patrolman Philip Maher in grateful appreciation for his many years of service to our community. Erected by his fellow citizens.”