Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan was on the verge of tears Saturday, remembering her close childhood friend who was killed in a shooting at Planned Parenthood in Colorado.
“He was one of my best friends," she said.
Garrett Swasey grew up in Melrose and dreamed of being an Olympic skater. He and Kerrigan spent years on the ice practicing together.
“As kids, he was literally like a little brother to me.... saw him every day and we trained together in Stoneham and Burlington and Boston," Kerrigan said.
Kerrigan and many others in greater Boston are mourning the loss of the Melrose native, who was gunned down running to help people at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs.
She and others have expressed how driven and dedicated Swasey was. He moved to Colorado to continue training as an ice skater. Kerrigan said Swasey was funny and committed to whatever he undertook.
“Very dedicated, always worked hard whether at school or skating with friends," she said.
Swasey eventually ended up in law enforcement, working as a police officer on the University of Colorado at Colorado Spring. Swasey was one of the first responders to the shooting in Colorado Springs.
“Always, always putting someone else first ... not surprised that’s the career path he took," said Kerrigan.
Swasey leaves behind a wife and two children. A YouCaring page has been set up to help the family.
For more, visit MyFoxBoston.com.
