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Living In Valley Stream
Sept. 11 hero honored with street renaming By Matt Cudahy
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North Valley Stream street was renamed in the summer of 2021 in honor of a late New York City Police Department deputy chief who died as a result of his efforts at the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Vincent DeMarino, a longtime North Valley Stream resident, served with the NYPD for 27 years, including assisting with the search and rescue efforts at ground zero. DeMarino died in December 2019 of a brain tumor, which he developed because of his exposure to the contaminated air in the days following 9/11. He was 61. To honor his legacy, Parkwold Drive South will now be known as Vincent DeMarino Way. The Town of Hempstead held a ceremony Aug. 5 to unveil the street sign. Officers from the NYPD and the Nassau County Police Department attended the ceremony, along with family members, friends and local legislators. NYPD’s Ceremonial Unit, Color Guard and Pipes and Drums performed as well.
“I see so many people here today, so many,” Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said. “I believe that speaks volumes to who Vinny was.” Clavin also stressed that while 9/11 was almost 20 years ago, the effects of that day still linger for the first responders and their families. More than 300 NYPD officers have died from 9/11-related illnesses. “Though nearly 20 years have passed since Sept. 11, 2001, heroic first responders like Vincent DeMarino continue to tragically lose their lives as a result of cancers and other illnesses from working at the contaminated ground zero site,” Clavin said. “We have to remember that it’s not just one day for some people. It’s every day. We should reflect on that.”
Photos by Matt Cudahy/Herald
Top photo: Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin handed a commemorative street sign, honoring NYPD 9/11 hero Vincent DeMarino, to his widow, Charlene. Vincent died of a brain tumor after working at ground zero after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Left photo: Vincent M. DeMarino speaking on behalf of his family. Right photo: Deputy Chief Vincent DeMarino Way, in North Valley Stream.
