Several thousand police officers from across the country lined the streets of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn for the funeral of NYPD officer Wenjian Liu, who was shot dead last month along with his partner, Officer Rafael Ramos. Among the many mourners was a New Jersey man who arranged for buses to bring 60 Chinese Americans to pay their respects.

Standing behind metal barricades facing a wall of stoic NYPD officers under grey skies, Yingchao Zhang said there was one serious debate on the early morning bus ride from Central Jersey to Brooklyn.

"I have three boys. If they say I want to be a police officer, I would think twice," Zhang said. Gazing at the sea of blue uniforms, Zhang said on the other hand, there is deep pride and admiration in the Chinese community for Wenjian Liu and the NYPD. "From that perspective, we really, really respect his contribution and putting his life on the line."

While Zhang is reluctant to let his own children join the force he hopes Liu will be a role model for other Asian-Americans.

"I think it's going to inspire a lot of the Asian American young generation to actually follow his footsteps," he said.

But others, like Laurie Wong, who traveled with Zhang, said Liu was the only son of his parents. And in Chinese culture, that carries one primary responsibility: caring for your parents.

"The only son means the whole support for the whole family for generations and generations."

At the funeral, Liu's father said his son called him after every shift to tell him he was safe. For Wong, a phrase comes to mind; "'Bai fa ren song hei fa ren,' meaning 'the grey hair is saying goodbye, farewell to the black hair.'"

It was a reference to parents burying their children.

"That could be the saddest sorrow in life...saying goodbye to your children," she said.

After the funeral, bagpipers led Liu's hearse down the street as officers saluted. And his family followed in a car with a large incense stick hanging out the window, burning in honor of a son, husband, and officer.