A smiling protector with an enduring Batman fascination, Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart has been sent off as a real-life superhero.
The 34-year-old police officer, who was killed in the line of duty, was honoured by family, friends and leaders in a private funeral at the Victoria Police Academy on Friday.
An estimated 3000 mourners turned up, triple the number anticipated.
The slain policeman’s mother and father, Carolina de Waart and Alain Hottart, travelled from Belgium for the solemn service.
Brother Sacha de Waart-Hottart, who lives in Switzerland, said he could spend hours talking about his brother but only spoke briefly for fear of breaking down.
When they were kids, the future officer would gather up every stuffed animal he could find and bring it to his baby brother’s crib and hop in.
His blue-eyed brother Vadim was a “ray of sunshine”, only ever wanting to make people happy and laugh.
“He was my very own superhero, he was my Batman,” Sacha de Waart-Hottart said.
“Then when we grew up and I didn’t need his protecting anymore, my brother found 23,000 new brothers and sisters in blue to keep protecting.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines were among the sea of navy blue uniformed crowd.
A table was set up in the chapel with medals and a small statue of Batman, a favourite of de Waart-Hottart’s child and adult years.
His cousin Jeremy Dellavedova read out a statement on behalf of the young officer’s mother.
“Our beautiful, kind, wise, joyful boy. Taken from us, who dearly loved him,” he said.
“Vadim is everywhere now, in the ether, in the divine, in the light.”
Constable Tali Walker-Davidson shared a house with De Waart-Hottart when he moved from Maryborough, in regional Victoria.
“Every time before he went to bed he would always say ‘goodnight Tali, sweet dreams’,” she said.
He found peace in the little things in the backyard, laying in the hammock with Walker-Davidson’s dog by his side, reading a book, doing yoga and meditating.
Skype calls with his parents lasted hours and nothing was off-limits, she said.
De Waart-Hottart moved out in June 2023 after buying an apartment, but the pair stayed close.
“He wasn’t just a colleague, he was my friend and he was my brother,” Walker-Davidson said.
“I love you babe.”
A near 10-minute photo montage captured the essence of de Waart-Hottart’s life.
From baby photos and skiing with family, to building a new life in Australia surrounded by new friends, the images painted a picture of who he was.
They showed him taking selfies with a pushbike, riding his motorbike, smiling with friends and proudly wearing a Batman T-shirt.
De Waart-Hottart and colleague Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson were killed during a violent confrontation with Dezi Freeman on August 26.
The pair were among 10 officers serving a warrant at a property in Porepunkah, about 300km north-east of Melbourne. Another officer was seriously hurt.
Freeman, 56, fled into bushland and remains on the run.
De Waart-Hottart was posthumously awarded the Victoria Police Star, recognising employees who are killed or seriously injured.
He was also bestowed the National Police Service Medal, National Medal and Victoria Police Service Medal.
The Sound of Silence played as his coffin was carried out of the on-site chapel, with his family holding each other while following.
The police air wing performed a flyover as more than 1000 officers lined the block for a long guard of honour for the hearse carrying his body, which will be cremated.
The policing family will again mourn a colleague when Thompson is farewelled with full honours on Monday.
Hundreds of Victoria Police members and Australian Defence Force personnel continue to scour the high country looking for Freeman.
Investigators believe the 56-year-old is alive, prompting the force and his wife to issue pleas for him to surrender.
More than 100 properties in the Alpine area have been searched and police believe people possibly know where Freeman is hiding out.
He shares views consistent with the sovereign citizen movement and is considered to be an experienced bushman.
–AAP
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