Friends wonder whether horrific killings could be related to Michael Fisher's father's illness, suicide.
By YAAKOV LAPPINfischer family 224 88(photo credit: Channel 2)
Police remain baffled as to why an apparently happily married and successful police officer, Michael Fisher, took the lives of his wife and two children before committing suicide in his Hod Hasharon apartment on Thursday, but the suicide of Michael's cancer-stricken father, Ray Fisher, in August 2007, has left some wondering whether the two events are connected.
Due to the circumstances of his death, Fisher, 29, was laid to rest Friday in a low-key civil ceremony with no eulogies at a cemetery in Ra'anana.
There was a massive police presence, however, at the funerals of Hila, 30, and the two children, Yuval, 2, and Yarden, six weeks, at the Hod Hasharon Cemetery on Friday afternoon. The name "Fisher" did not appear on their graves.
Hila, who was also a police officer, hailed from a proud police family - her father is former Central District Police chief Cmdr. (ret.) Yehuda Bahar.
Michael's parents, Ray and Valerie, made aliya from Leeds, England, in 1982, when Michael was three. The family settled in Ra'anana, where they became a pillar of the local Anglo community.
Ray successfully made the transition from being a teacher and Jewish community sports counselor in the UK to a travel agent here, and became a leading member of the Association of British Immigrants (ABI).
Mottie Shaw, who served on the national executive of the ABI for five years, also originally hails from Leeds, and is well acquainted with the Fisher family.
"They're very practical people. They were heavily involved in communal events. Back in Leeds, Ray was very involved in furthering the sporting activities within the Jewish community," he recalled.
Ray's passion for sports continued in Israel, where he played rugby. He also became a volunteer in the police force, setting an example his son Michael would follow years later.
"Ray wouldn't take no for an answer - he was very much a get-up-and-go person. He was a good leader. He was always very popular and well respected for his professionalism in the travel agency business and his ability to help people," Shaw added.
Tragedy struck when Ray was diagnosed with a brain tumor four years ago. He required an expensive drug that had to be imported from the United States.
When his health fund refused to help subsidize the drug, Ray's friends and colleagues came to the rescue.
"The money was raised by contacts of the Fisher family in the police, sporting world, and the ABI," Shaw said. "They very quickly put him on the drug.
"At first, it seemed to help, and the tumor showed signs of regression. But after a year he began to suffer complications from the brain tumor," Shaw said.
"Throughout this time, he had the will and strength to carry on in his chosen profession. He would send out a monthly e-mail discussing his latest diagnosis. But things started to get worse."
After it became apparent that the treatment was not working, Ray fell into a deep depression, and suffered a change in personality.
"The tumor was taking its toll," Shaw said.
Two months before his daughter, Karyn, was scheduled to get married, Ray took his own life.
"It was part of his personality, he didn't want to be a constant burden on his family," Shaw said. "He thought there was no hope."
Could Ray's suicide be linked to Michael's acts?
"I can only say that Ray did what he did for the love of his family. He wanted to be less of a burden. The family had all the signs of a loving family," Shaw said.
In the months following the suicide, Ray's widow, Valerie, "was getting back into some sort of normality in life," Shaw added. "She began to get involved in ABI activities."
Now, she, along with Ra'anana's Anglo community, have been left in shock by the news from Hod Hasharon, Shaw said.
"Michael had a wonderful reputation as a happily married and successful policeman who was making progress," he added.
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