Gustave J. Tero's link to fame will likely always be his famous younger brother, Mr. T, the action hero whose many gold chains symbolized his flamboyant persona.

But Gustave Tero, a retired Chicago police officer, will be long remembered for the grueling workouts he put police recruits through, as well as his legendary ability to do up to 1,000 sit-ups at a time.

Mr. Tero, 52, died of colon cancer Friday, April 21, in his Country Club Hills home.

A Chicago native, he joined the police force in the late 1970s, leaving briefly to serve as a bodyguard for his brother in the 1980s. The two had a falling out but later reconciled, said Mr. Tero's wife of 17 years, Deborah Fry Tero.

During Mr. Tero's nine months of living with colon cancer, his famous brother--who has also been diagnosed with cancer-- called regularly to cheer him up, Deborah Fry Tero said. She said her brother-in-law mailed Mr. Tero an advance copy of a book he is writing on how his cancer diagnosis changed his life.

"I read some excerpts from the book, and my husband was glad to know that he was back into entertaining," she said.

In the last year, Mr. Tero and his wife spent nearly every day together, going on walks in the Cook County forest preserves or working out at Prairie State College, she said.

She said she learned much from her husband, who was tough on new police recruits but fair.

"He wanted to help everyone do the best they possibly could," she said. "If they could handle Tero in a class, they could handle anyone on the street."

"I was bitter when I found out he had cancer," his wife said, "Because they said if you eat right, exercise, you won't get cancer. But he exercised; he ate healthy."

But she said her husband had accepted his disease and put his trust in his faith.

Mr. Tero retired from the Chicago Police Department in 1998.

Other survivors include three daughters, Angelina, Jazmine and Gizele; a son, Henri; a stepdaughter, Dannita Crawford; his mother; seven brothers; five sisters; and a grandson. A memorial service was held Friday in Chicago.