Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Delivers Remarks at Flight 587 Memorial Service

November 12, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you so much, Father Cruz, your presence here means so much to us. Thank you for comforting these good families. And to everyone here, thank you for joining in this remembrance. I’m honored to be with you in such a solemn and important moment. I want to thank two individuals who helped us to remember by their presence, Detective Dan Byrnes of the NYPD Ceremonial Unit and Firefighter James Sorokac of the FDNY Ceremonial Unit, thank you for your presence. I want to thank Belkis Lora for all she has done to organize this event and support the families. I want to thank Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato for her presence and the Council General of the Dominican Republic Carlos Castillo, thank you for all you do and for all you do for these families.

18 years ago, it was what appeared to be a beautiful morning starting out normal, and then a shock, a tragedy as Flight 587 fell from the sky. 265 lives lost, and countless hearts broken and families from Belle Harbor to Santo Domingo felt their lives were shattered. It’s 18 years later, but I know from speaking with so many of you that this day is one of a pain that is sharp and vivid just as much as it was 18 years ago. And grief has not lessened with time but I also have heard from so many of you the memories, the joyful memories, of those you loved. What they meant to you what they still mean to you. What their lives meant for your family and the impact they have even today on children, on family, on friends who remember them, who live by their example, who are inspired by them. And as Father said, that was one of the worst days that any of us experienced but in the middle of it we saw some of the best from our fellow New Yorkers.

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

Neighbors in Belle Harbor rushed to help. The FDNY, the NYPD, their heroism and the strength of our Dominican community in this city came forward immediately to support the families. As years passed, we know that the grief still comes forward in moments big and small, every birthday, every graduation. We know everyone has had those moments where they just wanted to be able to talk to their loved one, one more time.

If there is comfort to be found, it is in each other. Families uniting to support each other and this community of people brought together in tragedy. But you have built something together, a very special community of love and warmth that supports each other and not just one day a year, but throughout the year.

You have lived the words of scripture, “blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” And you have comforted each other – all of you have comforted each other so admirably. To all of you, my simple message today is New York City is here with you today and tomorrow and will always be with you.

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

We will never forget the people we lost in Flight 587, but we will always be there for you.

God bless you all.