Transcript: Mayor Adams Delivers Remarks at Street Co-Naming for NYPD Detective Wilbert Mora

July 18, 2023

Moderator: Ladies and gentlemen, this is your dais. We thank them for being here. We also want to thank other elected officials, the NYPD executive staff, and other line of duty families, and of course members of the Mora family. We thank you all for being here today. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the mayor of the City of New York, the honorable Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much. And yesterday, as we appointed the first Hispanic to be the police commissioner of the City of New York, I couldn't help to think about both Jason and Wilbert and their dedication to the city. And I remember at the funeral, listening to the inspector, Inspector Yakatally, and his real reflection of these two heroes. And I also remember that night watching that video and seeing the assassination of our heroes. I remember Commissioner Sewell and I being in the hospital and watching the families come in. And I responded to many incidents where we've lost loved ones, but hearing that pain and the intensity of it, and it didn't dissipate hour after hour, and how helpless I felt as the mayor of the city of New York starting my tenure to be committed to live up to my obligation and responsibility to protect the people of this city.

I saw two of my young officers lose their lives to the senseless violence and over proliferation of guns that have been normalized in our city. I walked out that night and I sat in the car and I renewed my energy. I believe it was a calvary moment, a moment of sacrifice, a moment that our city split its history into two, before and after the death of these two young men. And look at the narrative in the story. Here, Wilbert, a young man, at seven years old dreamt of becoming a police officer. 20 years later, he lived out that obligation. And at 27, losing his life. That bullet, when it carved the highway of death and struck his body, it didn't stop there. It ripped apart the anatomy of our community and our city. We've all felt it. This young immigrant who came here just to pursue what we call the American dream. And his parents, his mom and dad, just believing in this city and in this country, watching the level of proudness that comes with watching their son walk across the stage in that blue uniform and receive his shield. That is such a proud moment for a parent.

And Amalia and dad, Badui, we are with you. Our hearts go with you. You give me the strength and courage to do my job. And two, your siblings, Karina, Wilson, and Jonathan as you continue to move forward during this very painful moment. This is an agency in the department that not only remembers young woman sitting in the school in P.S. 319 right here in this community, dreaming of one day protecting the people of the city, but this is a community where a street sign will be placed so that children in the future and of current time would know that one of their own, a young child, grew up to serve and to protect. And this is a department that never forgets. And it is a moment for our reflection on how we must continue to pursue, of ensuring our streets are safe. And as Anna is here, the mom of Jason, we want to thank you as well and your entire family. We have an awesome obligation and responsibility as we take upon this difficult role. Our families hold their breath every night when we enter the streets and ensure that this city is safe. I committed back then and I'm committed now. 

We will continue this job and we will ensure that the job is completed and we will remember the names of Jason and Wilbert, our fallen heroes, and all those who will follow in their path and obligation that comes with it. I was proud to serve as a member of the New York City Police Department, I'm honored to be the mayor of the city, and I believe that we will continue to move our city in the right direction to ensure that not only are there [inaudible] at the prerequisite to our prosperities, public safety, and justice, we are going to live it out in the memory of Jason and Wilbert. Our brothers, our sons, our loved ones who lost their lives, let's always keep them in our hearts. As we place this sign on this street, let's also place a sign of safety in our city that we'll continue to pursue. Thank you very much.

Moderator: Thank you, Mayor Adams. It is now my pleasure to introduce the police commissioner of the City of New York, the honorable Edward Caban.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban: Good morning, everyone, and welcome Detective Wilbert Mora Street. I want to thank everyone for coming here today to honor Wilbert and to celebrate his incredible life of public service. Thank you to New York City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez and her staff who led the effort to honor Wilbert in this special way. And of course, a special thank you to the Mora family. Wilbert's mother, Amalia; his father, Badwi; his sister, Karina; brothers, Wilson and Jonathan and all of Wilbert's extended family and loved ones. And finally, to Inspector Yakatally and all the members of the 32 Precinct, as well as our NYPD officers from across the department, thank you for being here to support the Mora family.

A year and a half ago, we gathered together at St. Patrick's Cathedral united as a city and as a nation to pay tribute to Wilbert's memory. We talked about his legacy, his sacrifice, and everything we lost that January night. We promised him and his family that we will continue to honor him. And the street dedication is another part of fulfilling that promise. It is meaningful that we do it today on what would have been Wilbert's 29th birthday. And it matters that we are doing it here outside where Wilbert went to school, on the block where his sister lives, in the neighborhood where his family knew and loved. This is where for generations to come, people will see the sign, read the name, and ask the question, "Who was he?" And each time that happens is another chance for us to tell his story.

That way, people who never had the good fortune of meeting Wilbert will learn about his life. They will find out how much he loved and cared for his family, his fellow cops, and his community. And then they will know what everyone here already knows, that Wilbert was a truly special person and that he has missed more and more every single day. We realize that no matter how many streets we rename or plaques we dedicate, none of that will ease the pain of losing Wilbert. But that is not why we are here today. We are here to continue his legacy, to finish the work that he started and to make sure that we never forget.

Each day we will do everything we can to live up to that example he said for us, that is our job now, and that is why we'll be back again and again to celebrate Wilbert's life and to honor his legacy. Thank you all again for being here. This ceremony is further proof of how much Wilbert loved his community and how much you loved him back. And finally, to Wilbert's NYPD family I see standing in the back, you go out there every day just like he did to keep people safe. You honor him through that vital work. And you should always know that Wilbert and his family are very, very proud of you, and so am I. Thank you to everyone who made this day possible. Stay safe and God bless.

Moderator: Thank you, Commissioner Caban. It is my pleasure to introduce the commanding officer from the 32 Precinct, Inspector Amir Yakatally.

Inspector Amir Yakatally, Commanding Officer, 32 Precinct, Police Department: Good morning and welcome to the street renaming ceremony for Detective Wilbert Mora. Oftentimes, we walk onto or past the street that has been named after a fallen hero. And if you're like me, you wonder, "Who is this person, and what was the magnitude of their sacrifice?" And as you do this, your glance might show the telltale signs of appreciation and gratitude. Naming a street after one of our fallen heroes is yet another gesture. A symbolic means to memorialize the significance of Wilbert, his service and his immeasurable sacrifice. Street names are one way to capture the past, to pin down the present and to preserve it for future generations. To prompt curiosity with the possibility of a story, a story that captures a young Wilbert who grew into a larger than life hero, a young Wilbert who followed a noble path and died fighting for peace.

Throughout the past year and a half, the name Wilbert Mora has been engraved and immortalized amongst other fallen officers on memorial walls, such as the Wall of Heroes in the 32 station house, in one police plaza, the state capitol in Albany and in Washington, D.C. But here today, the renaming of Keap Street to Detective Wilbert Mora Street is significant in a unique way. This project required a cross-sector collaboration of the NYPD, the Mora family, elected officials, and the Harlem and Williamsburg communities. And it is with the sincerest gratitude that I thank Ms. Hester Jones, a good friend, member of the Harlem community and neighbor to the Mora's, for initiating the process. Council Members Diana Ayala of District 8 and Jennifer Gutiérrez of District 34 for supporting the project and is transitioned to District 34. Additionally, thanks to Community Board 1 for approval and support. And the commander of the 26th Precinct, Captain Jose Taveras, for his unrelenting commitment to being the intermediary for this project.

And lastly, thank you to the 90 Precinct, the New York Dominican Office Association, the DEA and the PBA for their support in putting this day together. It is through your combined effort that this gesture on this day is possible, and it exemplifies how much the community as a whole appreciates the life and sacrifice of Wilbert. For Amalia, Badui, Wilson, Karina, Clarivel, and the rest of the Mora family, this street holds a special meaning. This is where Wilbert went to grade school, a place of early memories and many firsts, where he made some of his first friends and became popular. This is a place he learned to read, write, and imagine the kind of man he would one day become. A place where he stopped and ate pizza in the afternoons noons and tell whoever would listen all about his day. 

And through these interactions, he was admired for his innocence and wonder, and his family beamed with pride as they watched him grow. So it is no surprise that this is where we chose to have a street renamed as it represents joy, love, and a story of heroism that will be shared for years to come. A story chronicling a police officer who valiantly fought and died protecting the people of the city he loves. Even beyond death, he continued to save lives by donating his organs, a story that will impact everyone who sees his name and learns about his sacrifice. And perhaps through this story, onlookers and eager listeners, young and old alike, will garner a newfound respect and pride for our officers in blue.

To the Mora family, while his name has been and will continue to be memorialized elsewhere, we know the significance and the emotional connection of this place. This is home and we are honored to share this moment with you. And finally, as I stand here today, I want to leave off by saying we will continue our promise today and always a promise to remember Wilbert and stay steadfast in honoring his sacrifice. Thank you all for being in attendance. Thank you.

Moderator: Thank you Inspector Yakatally. It is my pleasure to introduce New York City Councilwoman from District 34, Jennifer Gutiérrez.

City Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez: Thank you so much. [Speaks in Spanish]. Good morning to everyone. My name is Jennifer Gutiérrez. It is my pleasure to be here to welcome you all if you live here or if you don't, welcome to beautiful District 34. The south side is a beautiful, beautiful place. It's near and dear to me, obviously, but it's a special place, especially today on Wilbert Mora's birthday because his family wanted his legacy to live on, of course, throughout all of New York City. But specifically here, his roots at PS19, Roberto Clemente. It was, for decades, the home that welcomed so many immigrant families, Puerto Rican families, immigrant families. And it's a school that has stood the test of time. Now it stands as Brooklyn Arbor, but continues to honor the legacy of all those students and families that came before. It was the institution where an immigrant family would come and meet other families and get their bearings and understand how this community works. And it was because of many families that are here today, [speaks in Spanish], that we are so proud to talk about the south side community.

So in honoring Detective Wilbert Mora today, I want to talk about him, yes, and about his story, his immigrant story, his call to service, but also remind everyone [speaks in Spanish] Williamsburg, and that's why a lot of the people that you see here today are not necessarily his professional family, his PD family. They're people from the neighborhood that are here from Lindsey Park, from Los Sures, from [inaudible.] We have a ton of people. We have folks from 319 just across the street because they know when they look at his parents [speaks in Spanish] Wilbert Mora, they're looking at their own parents. They're looking at their own selves. There's a lot here that resonates with so many of us.

And I also just want to take a quick second to acknowledge and just thank Mayor Adams for being here and our newly appointed commissioner and deputy commissioner. It's really, really meaningful to be able to share this space with all of you. And I also want to thank the 90 Precinct who has been an incredible partner in helping to put this together as well as our elected officials. I know Evelyn, who knows the Mora family personally here from Congresswoman Velasquez's office. Jessica from Senator Salazar's office. Borough President Reynoso couldn't be here but wanted to share his condolences and appreciation for today's event. And I also wanted to acknowledge Captain Taveres, who was incredible and has been an incredible partner throughout this whole process.

These co-namings are really hard because while you're excited to honor this person, you also know what it means. It means that this person's life was cut too short. It also means that what we know about this person is all we're ever going to know. But I hope [speaks in Spanish].

And lastly, I want to say just something personal that I really admired about Detective Mora, which was he studied criminal justice in college and join the police force because he wanted to be the change he wanted to see. As a kid who grew up here on the south side and in North Brooklyn, obviously he experienced and he understood what it was like to grow up in the south side in a time where it looked much different than what it looks like today. And much due in part because of the work that many of us have put into this community. But it looked different then. He wanted to respond to this call of service to create the change and mentor young people.

And I really value that because as someone that was just recently elected, I can relate to that. But also as someone who's a new mom, I extend my sincere condolences to his family because you do all you can to give your children everything and all you hope is that they can come home. And Detective Mora did more than that and went above and beyond. [Speaks in Spanish]. So once again, I want to thank you all. Thank you for the family letting me get to know you, get to know your son, detective Wilbert Mora, and thank you to the entire Williamsburg community that showed up. It was not easy to get people here because people know the Mora familia, [speaks in Spanish]. Thank you so much.

Moderator: Thank you Councilwoman Gutiérrez. It is my pleasure to introduce the president of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Hendry.

Patrick Hendry, President, Police Benevolent Association: Good morning everyone. I thank this wonderful family for being here today. You're in the prayers of every single New York City police officer. I want to thank our line of duty families that are here today to support the Mora family. We have a few in the back. If you could just please stand. Come on. Stand.

Today shows that heroes never die. They live on in many different ways, and no one has proven that more than our hero brother Wilbert Mora. He lives on in the hearts of every New York City police officer, especially the police officers in the 32 Precinct. He lives through the five lives that he saved through organ donation. And today is another piece of that memory. This street sign isn't just a piece of metal on a pole. It now has the name of a hero detective. This sign is also a message. It's a message to every kid that goes to the school that a hero sat in that same classroom. It's a message to everyone that walks down this block that a hero walked down this block, grew up on this street, and maybe some will change lives like Wilbert did, and maybe some will wear that shield of a New York City police officer, the shield that every police officer is so proud to wear and change lives and also confront evil and protect the people of this city. Thank you.

Speaks in Spanish: Thank you, Patrick. It is now my honor to introduce Detective Wilbert Mora's mother, Amalia Mora.

Amalia Mora: [Speaks in Spanish.]

Translator: Good morning everybody. Mrs. Amalia Mora wanted me to translate her statement.
Good morning. I want to thank everyone who is present here today, and especially those who made today's street co-naming possible. From now on, this corner will be named after our beloved son, Detective Wilbert Mora. It was a great wish of my husband Badui to see our son's name at this corner, and today I want to thank Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez from District 34, who supported us from the beginning and who was positive throughout this process. I also thank everyone who helped make this happen in one way or another, especially I thank [inaudible] and the members of the 32 and the 90 precincts.

I also thank all the members of the NYPD, who always keep Wilbert and his eternal partner, Detective Jason Rivera, in their minds and in their hearts. This day and this location holds special significance for us because today is Wilbert's birthday and this is the area where we lived when we first moved to the United States. Here in this building was elementary school that Wilbert attended when he was seven-years-old. It was here where he learned and where he played with his friends.

For our family, it is a great pride that our son is being immortalized on this street and in this neighborhood where we have so many fond memories of our hero. Future generations of children will see the name Detective Wilbert Mora, and they will learn about his sacrifice and about what he did for this city. My beautiful darling, I hope you can send me a bit of calm from wherever you are to help me assimilate your loss. I will never stop loving you because I know you will never stop loving us.

This is a loss that was not planned, a void that I cannot explain. Thank you all for sharing this moment with us. May God bless you all.

Moderator: Thank you, Amalia, and thank you to the Mora family for that. At this time, I will ask everyone to please rise as we escort the Mora family and members of our dais to the corner behind me for the street sign unveiling.

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