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The Longest Night Brother of drowned police officer reaches out to others experiencing pain during the holiday season A Waterloo church is going to have a very special visitor Dec. 21 for its fifth annual ‘Longest Night Service‘ Bruce Nicholson, the older brother of the late Const. Dave Nicholson of the Waterdluo regsonal police, will be speakâ€" ing at Knox Presbyterian Church at 50 trb Street West beginning at 7:30 p.m. Dave Nicholson drowned this past Aug. 12 while trying to recover the body of another drowning victim, 1 2â€"yearâ€"old Mark Gage, at the Parkhill dam in Camâ€" bridge. Knox Presbytenan Church has been holding its special ‘Longest Night Service‘ for the last five years to help anyone in the community who is finding this Christmas season difficult or sad. Some, like Bruce, may have recently lost a loved one. Othâ€" ets may have recently lost a job or may be suffering from illâ€" ness or the pain of a broken relationship. Still others may be currently feeling financial stress or have been stricken with the burden ol past unpleasant memories. Whatever peoples problems are, Bruce Nicholson said in an interview Monday he believes he can help by speaking at this year‘s service. "If one person takes a step to come out of their grieving or hurting cocoon, and lets others in a little for their own benefit, then its worth doing this, even if it would be a little difficult for me," Nicholson said. when asked if he was ready to speak out about his grief "My experience has simply been honesty â€" just telling people exactly like it is in your own heart and mind," Nicholâ€" son said. "And telling them the things that have helped vyou. and to use those as an encourâ€" agement for others who haven‘t yet reached out for that same help." Nicholson, a Kitchener real estate broker, first heard about the events that led to tus only brother‘s death when a Waterâ€" loo regronal police officer called him at home at midnight this past Aug. 12 to say there had been a problem with a dive involving hus brother at the Parkbull dam earher that day Nichofson then called his mother to stay with Jus brothers children while he and his sisterâ€"mmâ€"law, Dave‘s wile, went down to the dam to wart out what eventually proved to be an agomzing 2 1/2 day vigil "Initually everything in you said there‘s got ta hbe some chance that he could come out of it." Nicholsan sard. as police divers continued to try and locate Dave Nicholson in a Tim Gardner Chronicle )(dfl Bruce Nicholson, elder brother of the late Const. Dave Nicholson, will speak at Knox Presbyterian Church‘s Longest Night Service. Tim Gardner photo sluice box below the dam "There was probably a fair amount of denial that went on during those first hours." However reality set in when the police recovered the bodies of Bruce‘s brother and Mark Gage during the early morning hours of Aug. 15. The Nicholâ€" son family had a brief opportuâ€" nity to console each other at Cambridge Memonal Hospital later that day before Dave‘s body was taken away. In many ways, Bruce Nicholâ€" son said bis family has been {fortunate in having to cope with Dave‘s death. LC Feel ine€ rwar mth ‘or Uplown _ 7 /A 0: éfi“flrt Tim Gardner photo &mtém} W AMiLE "We had the benetit of has ing always been a very cluse family." Bruce Nicholson said "We lived geographically clase together and we were ramed as a tight family unit So we‘ve been able to be there tor each other and support each other We also have very strong Bibleâ€"based Chnistian belicts, he said "So our relationship with God bas really helped w our retanonship with each other and with God has realls helped to bring us through However there have been lots of trmes this vear when Bruce has dearly muissed his However there have been lots of trmes this vear when Bruce has dearty mussed hits brother. During this past falls hunting season, Dave was noticeably absent. The two men used to do volunteer work and youth work together, but now Bruce has to do that work alone In fact, carlier this year, Bruce and Dave were thinking oJ buying a farm with two houses on it so that their famiâ€" lies could move there and set up a farm to help local voung offenders. However with Dave‘s death. some of that dream has died too But Bruce said on Dec. 21 part of the message he hopes to get across is that it‘s all right for peaple to rely on others in umes of emotional turmed in order to get along "Don‘t let yvourself be alone Bruce said. "I you‘ve suffered a wound or grief or a lass of some sort, don‘t hibernate. Let others help you along when you‘re limping. Thats kind of the approach we‘ll be taking." Adopt an "Ang?r' receive 50% off Sale starts Dec. 17 â€" Dec. 23, 1998 the ticketed prige for Christmas Hours you" Angel Monâ€"Frl ~9:30 til 8:00 â€" Sat 9:00 til 600 Sun 11:00 ti! 6:.00 926 Grand Ave. S. Cambridge, Ont. (519) 624â€"7844 8(00 King Street South, Waterloo 8S88â€"9200 *« 56 Georae‘s Square. Guelph KNAR JEWELLERY Autmonges Cait er Age gear Santd (Gals, 1| want im(\\(\smas 8. 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