In Eddie's Name: One Family's Triumph over Tragedy

by Bryn Freedman, William Knoedelseder

The author vividly retells the disturbing tale of a Philadelphia teenager who was beaten by youths from another neighborhood and left to die on the steps of his own church while dozens of 911 calls went unanswered.

Genres: Local History, True Crime

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1999

Reviews

[Karen Parkhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never grieved someone so badly that I have never met until reading this. A must read for teens and parents of teens.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody should ever have to demonstrate the grace of the Polec family.

[Brit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bryn Freedman and William Knoedelseder's In Eddie's Name: One Family's Triumph over Tragedy covers the murder of Eddie Polec in 1994 in Philadelphia and the resulting trial. I was familiar with the story and family growing up, but I never knew the actual details of the murder and the trial. Both Freedman and Knoedelseder worked on the Eddie Polec news story at the time. Freedman was a reporter for Fox News in Philadelphia and Knoedelseder was an executive producer of The Philadelphia's Inquirer's nightly news program.

Freedman and Knoedelseder cover the actions leading up to Eddie's murder, but they mostly focus on the aftermath, especially for his surviving family members. His parents were extremely gracious given the horrific circumstances. They did what they could to stop any further violence in the neighborhood and John Polec worked to fix the 911 system in Philadelphia that failed their son. Their victim statements during the trial were heartbreaking and one of the strongest sections of the book. I think the authors treated Eddie and the Polec family with respect. I hope they approved of the book.

In addition to the news coverage of the case at the time, the authors used interviews with the Polec family, defense attorneys Janis Smarro and A. Charles Peruto, police officers/detectives Tom Perks, Art Mee, and Bill Danks, several of Eddie's friends, and friends of the Polec family. They also used reports and transcripts from the trial.

I would recommend this book to anyone who knew or heard about the Eddie Polec case.

[Moises · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in Fox Chase, I went to St.Cecilia's, I knew Eddie personally! Then came high school by then I had moved a few blocks away from my childhood home and ended up in Abington and Abington high school! This incident changed my life because even though I didn't hang out or even associate with the boys who did this, there was plenty of people who knew that I was from Fox Chase and that I knew Eddie! In the Abington school hallways, there was all kinds of rumors about more retaliation especially if the Fox Chase kids fought back and I constantly started to feel like I had a target on my back. I finally talked my parents into letting me change schools.

As far as the book goes, it took me right back to my childhood, right back to the night it happened and the roller coaster of emotions that children of that age just aren't meant to deal with much less such a lovely family like the Polec's! They are amazing people, and with the changes they made sure where done by the PPD, makes me proud to say that my son, who also born and raised in Fox Chase, is now a police officer for the PPD!

[Kim Nickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Eddie Polec and how life changed for the Polecs on one fateful night in 1994 is heartbreaking. I cried multiple times when reading this book. The grace and composure shown by the Polecs after the murder of their son and during the trial is beyond extraordinary. While I have little faith in the justice system, not just in Philly but throughout the United States, I have faith that there are still people like Eddie Polec in the world. Joyous people, with respect and an air of innocence making them have the good hearts they do. And that gives me hope for this world we're living in.

[Jaime Szydlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still remember this storyline vividly, I was a teenager myself when it happened. It is absolutely heartbreaking that this child lost his life. It could have easily been avoided if the 911 system didn’t fail him.

[Scott Gundaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I waited a very long time to obtain and read this book. Today is the 30th anniversary of this brutal muder. I recall it well as having had lived in a surrounding community at the time of the crime. 😢

[Patti Dollinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reality of the struggle for real justice.

[Kasen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always grown up knowing the story of Eddie Polec because of the tattoo my cousin has on his shoulder in honor of his friends tragic death. However I never knew all the details until I started to read this book. I live in Abington and found myself somewhat shameful that I grew up in and graduated from "Murder High". This story is so horrifying yet shows a family that overcame a tragedy with such dignity and grace, even addressing to the public that Abington kids were not to be blamed as a whole, just the individuals that changed their lives forever. Reading this story has brought out so many emotions from heart break, to disgust, determination and most of all love. The Polec family should be looked at as heroes for their strength and determination for fighting through a families worst nightmare. I know I look at them with as much respect that I can possibly show towards someone. This story truely broke my heart and then took the pieces and put them together again. This is a life changing story and my heart and love goes out to the Polec's for being such an inspiration to all that have had their lives ripped apart by violence. What makes this story all the more inspiring is that instead of retaliation or law suites the Polec's chose to be dignified and make changes to a flawed system in order to bring justice to their son and his name. Through this story, family and friends, Eddie Polec will never be forgotton.

[PAPI-BOI 2010 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sound of sirens rushed down through the streets of Fox Chase, everyone looked out their doors.There was a crowd of people in front of St. Cecilia's church, there was a girl craddling a teenager's head sobbing over him. The community was filled with grief, they cried and screamed.

The chaos become a reality on November 11, 1994, what started off as a nice day ending up chaning the neighborhood of Fox Chase forever.A sixteen year old boy named Eddie was serverely beaten in front of St. Cecilia's church by a gang of 20 kids with baseball bats. This inncident was fatal, the community was hurt and shocked by this inncident, Eddie had done nothing wrong to anybody and did not deserve to die.

This book, In Eddies Name, is very interesting I was fascinated in reading it, it had me on my toes just like an action movie. I became frustrating reading the book because of the injustice that happened to Billy and his family.

[Kristincrane4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing yet heartbreaking book that i just could not put down. This book is based on a sad but true story. It describes how the Polec family and their community dealt with Eddie's murder.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reserve my 5-star ratings for books that change me. You know what this will be about. Just read it and then look deeply into your own heart.