Beloved Middletown Police Officer Dies After Courageous Cancer Battle

MIDDLETOWN, CT — The community and beyond is mourning the death of police officer Matt Silvestrini, who "fought a long battle with brain cancer."

In an emotional social media post, the police department said it is "beyond saddened to announce the passing of Officer Matt Silvestrini. Officer Silvestrini passed away peacefully last evening at home surrounded by his family."

Police said, "Officer Silvestrini dedicated his life to serving others. He was a decorated Veteran of the US Army (serving two tours in Iraq), he served the City of New Haven as a police officer before transferring to MPD in 2012. He was a member of the Emergency Response Team, Firearms Unit, and an instructor here at MPD. The most important part about Matt, was his dedication to family. He was a proud husband and father of two beautiful children.

"On behalf of the Silvestrini Family, we would like to thank everyone in the community who supported our efforts in raising funds for him. We ask that you keep the Silvestrini Family in your thoughts and prayers, especially as we approach the holidays. While our hearts are heavy, we know Matt is finally at peace…. Riding off into the sunset looking for his next adventure! We Will Never Forget" police concluded.