Juan Phillips, Officer, Gentlemen and Friend
I originally penned this column back in 2021 after learning of the critical covid illness of one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege of and calling my friend. Officer Juan Phillips recently retired from the Buffalo Police department after 43-years of service. I had planned to write a new column on the remarkable man but after rereading the original column I had nothing more to say about the man.
In life, have you ever met someone who you instantly liked from the first moments you encountered them? A person you always feel comfortable being around and genuinely enjoy their company. A person you call your friend, even though you may not have spoken to them in years, yet there’s still a bond of unspoken under standing and comradery whenever you get together?
That was the case with me and a young freshman at Riverside High school named Juan Phillips. We first met and became friends when we were classmates in a Drama class that was being taught by a young Miss Diane English, a first-year teacher. Juan and I were some of her first students. (Miss English would quit teaching after that year and moved to Hollywood where she became a famous Producer of a highly acclaimed television show Murphy Brown. Google it!).
In that Drama class, Miss English encouraged her students to think on our feet with “improvisational” sessions, where we would adlib scenarios of human interactions. Turned out that Juan and I would play off each other very well and have Miss English and the class rolling in laughter. In fact, Miss English told Juan and I we were talented. That was the first time anyone ever told me I was talented at anything. Juan went on to perform in a few Plays after that, but I was too busy chasing other things with skirts to be bothered. Juan and I linked up later when we both played on Riversides HS basket ball team where we set records for warming the benches. But at least we had uniforms, which was more than most of the other guys.
After graduating high school in 1973, we went on with our lives. In 1983, I had just graduated from the B.F.D. fire academy, and I was being fitted for my dress uniform and “turn out gear” at Brownies Uniform Store on Main Street. In the uniform store, I looked over and saw a long lanky figure who looked familiar. It was Juan. He had recently graduated from the Police Academy and was also being fitted for his dress blues. I must say I was quite surprised that Juan had chosen to become a police officer because he didn’t fit the stereotypical personality of a Cop. Juan was and is one of the nicest and even-tempered people I have ever known. He has always been the type of person that got along with everybody he encountered. If you met him, you liked and respected him almost immediately.
When he became a police officer his personality and persona did not change one bit. He is the same good guy he was in High school. In all the years I have known him I haven’t known anyone that had a bad word to say about Juan. That’s rare for a police officer. If all police officers were cut from the mode of Juan Phillips, the world would be in a much better place. Then last March I heard news that Juan was in critical condition at E.C.M.C., with the Corona 19 virus. People were asking for prayers for the veteran Police Officer who was so loved by so many! His illness was as personal to me then as if he was a relative. I prayed for my friend. Well after 103 days in the hospital at deaths door he emerged from his walk in the valley of death to the throng of well-wishers from across the nation. He is alive and grateful to God for his life. This week a YouTube video was released where Juan gives a inspirational testimony of his ordeal and how his God was the guiding spirit was key to his miracle recovery. The testimony can be seen on Facebook or on YouTube. (Search Juan Phillips)
This is my testimony to a man who is one of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. God Speed Juan and I’ll see you soon old friend.