Hundreds of police and community members gave a standing ovation to Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders and his wife, Stacey Saunders, Thursday evening at the annual Chief’s Gala in support of Victim Services Toronto. The fundraiser was the couple’s first public appearance since his Oct. 2 transplant, when Saunders received a kidney donated by his wife.The chief addressed the crowd at the end of the evening, thanking Victim Services, the organizers, sponsors, his force, and “my lovely wife for giving me a kidney.”Saunders said Stacey “has always been my rock” to CTV news prior to the surgery, at which time she said “I was so happy to be his donor, I did put my hand up right away.”Mayor John Tory told reporters before the dinner Thursday that he was “so thrilled to see (Saunders) back,” and called him a “man of complete integrity.”“The courage he had, and his wife Stacey, to go through major surgery . . . and be back looking fit as a fiddle I think is fantastic for them both,” Tory said. The mayor said he was looking forward to seeing Saunders back in his role “very soon.”The chief spent the early part of the evening mingling with guests, stopping to pose with the Victim Services Toronto Trauma dog, Dandy, and community members. Victim Services case co-ordinator Ambreen Akbar spoke on behalf of the organization, and as someone who benefited from their services earlier in her life after she experienced domestic violence. “I lived in fear of losing my life or one of my children’s lives,” Akbar said. “I am alive, here in front of you, because of Victim Services Toronto.”Saunders said the reason he wanted this event to be his first appearance back was because he truly believes in the work Victim Services does. “There is no bravado in helping people,” he said. “It’s about making us community-centred again . . . (AkbarR ...
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