On Sunday, December 6 at 1:30 p.m., Fabulous Freddies Italian Eatery will host a public unveiling of its contribution to the Chicago Horses of Honor Campaign with a salute to P.O. William J. Luce, a fallen family member. An invitation-only party and tribute to Luce and his fellow fallen officers will follow the unveiling in the restaurant’s second-floor private event space.
The Horses of Honor program pays tribute to the city’s fallen law enforcement professionals. The program features statuary horses inspired by Chicago’s famous mounted police force that have been customized for business sponsors by local artists. The finished statues are showcased at locations throughout the city. Fabulous Freddies commissioned Bridgeport, Illinois–area artist and resident Erika Vazzana to create the artwork for their sponsored horse.
Honoree Officer William J. Luce, 45, was a 20-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the special operations unit. Officer Luce was exposed to radiation during firearms testing, which caused severe burns to his body and face, and ultimately caused his death from cancer on August 14, 1989. His star number was 14287, which will be represented on the horse.
Fabulous Freddies Italian Eatery has been family owned and operated since 1990. Serving neighborhood classics such as Italian beef, house-made sausage, breaded steak sandwiches, its famous butter crust pizza, and creamy Italian ices (available infused), Freddies is a Bridgeport icon.