Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks at the Funeral For New York City Sanitation Worker Steven Frosch

June 27, 2014

Mayor Bill de Blasio: This is a painful day for all of us. It’s a painful day for the City of New York. It’s a painful day for New York’s Strongest, especially the Frosch family and all who knew Steven. He was a proud son of Queens; a devoted husband to Bina, his wife of 14 years; a loving father to his four children, his sons, Stephen and Jesse, his daughters Charlize and Fredrica.

He was a dedicated public servant, truly dedicated as he gave so much of himself. A 15-year veteran of the sanitation department, and before that a five-year veteran of the NYPD. To all the members of the family, to his friends and all the members of the community who knew and loved him so much, to all his colleagues, to our Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and to the president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, Harry Nespoli.

I think we all know that our city reveals its true character through our people, and Steve was a New Yorker to the core. He represented the very best of New York City. And I’ve heard that from people who worked with him, who knew him and loved him. He was a man of enormous integrity and a strong sense of duty and a kindness that pervaded everything he did. A man who was deeply loved by so many, and that is evident from the incredible outpouring of grief and support for the family over the last few days. Hundreds attended the wake and waited in a long line that went all around the corner to pay their respects. So many people here today, that says something about the feelings that Steve brought out in people. And it says so much about the number of lives that he touched so positively.

Connecting with people and being there for them was Steve’s way. His colleagues at the Queens West 5A Garage say he was one of the people they always turned to. He was natural. He was the guy who always seemed to have the answer to every question. If you weren’t sure about the options on your deferred comp plan, you’d ask Steve. You want to know how to save for retirement? Go to Steve. Is there a great sale on beer anywhere? Check your text messages, Steve sent something around. He was the garage’s unofficial financial advisor and retirement planner, freelance dietician, and somehow a full-time Dallas Cowboys fan too.

Whenever, whenever someone was in need, Steve was the one who took up a collection. And no cause, no cause was too small. Even the cause of a goldfish. A lot of people at the garage didn’t even know there was a goldfish tank with a goldfish in it, but Steve was the one who took up a collection to maintain it so the garage could be a little nicer.

And as much as he loved and cared for his coworkers and his friends, for Steve it was always, always family first. What he cared about was spending time with his wife, attending sporting events or playing catch with his children, hand-delivering his nephew’s favorite NASCAR magazine every week.

It’s a truly cruel blow that Steve has left us at the age of 43. It is very hard to understand, and it’s a harsh reminder of the sacrifice that our sanitation workers make every day and the dangers they face on this job that so often go unrecognized. But the work they do is pivotal to all 8.4 million people of New York City, and we will never forget not only Steve’s sacrifice, but the hard work that all sanitation workers do every day.

We’re all proud to live in a city with people like Steve, who have been such an important part of it. We’re deeply, deeply sorry that we have lost him so soon. So to all of Steve’s family, to his friends, to his colleagues, and to all of us – all of us here who knew him, to all who serve us at the sanitation department, our hearts go out to all of you. And God bless you.