Transcript: Mayor Adams Attends Funeral Service for FDNY EMT Frederick D. Whiteside

November 29, 2023

Mayor Eric Adams: I appreciate Clorinda and Jaylynn so much for your presentation, that even as we stand before each other, perfection does not have the need to be displayed and you just flow. And to see Jaylynn come to the aid of her mom and young lady who brought you the obituary, it's just how we come together during these times.

And there's just really nothing that one can say when you see a 43-year-old young man transition from the physical to the spiritual. One that has dedicated his life to helping those who were in life-saving situations.

As I look out at his colleagues, I think about how many times you respond to the calls of service. I remember my days as a police officer watching you there long before we arrive, dealing with people during their times of stress. We cannot say thank you enough.

And the duality of this moment, we all know that there's a natural aspect of life, that life does not come with immortality, it comes with mortality. And all of us will reach the journey where we too will lay in a coffin. But the most painful aspect of it is the unnatural aspect of it. Audrey, mothers are not supposed to bury their sons. Their sons are supposed to bury their mothers. And I'm just so sorry.

I'm so sorry that your baby is taken from you when he's supposed to be looking over your coffin and talking about how he's able to take the natural journey of putting his mom to rest. But there's just things we don't understand and we cannot explain. Cold days like this makes me reflect on what I do in the morning. On a cold day, I often grab a bowl of oatmeal and I go into the fridge and pull out and hope that I have a carton of milk waiting for me.

And I looked in sometime ago and notice that I did and the smile came to my face and I picked up the carton and it was half full and I sat down, I read the label and it had an expiration date that was five days old.

Folks, no matter who we are, we have an expiration date. The question we have to ask ourselves, are we going to leave half of what we have in the carton or are we going to make sure every drop is gone? This brother may have only lived 43 years, but trust me when I tell you, look at those pictures, he left every drop empty.

He lived a full life. He laughed, he smiled, he gave back, he believed. He produced a beautiful child who is going to go on to do great things. Don't look at the shortness of the journey. Look at the fullness of the purpose of the journey.

And as we reflect on his life, ask ourselves, are we going to live our carton half full or are we going to give it our all? I know, as the mayor of this city, as 22 years as the police officer, as a state senator, as a borough president, as the person who has failed and who have succeeded, I'm going to leave my carton empty like this brother did.

His body is only a reflection of his dedication and commitment that he gave to the city that he loved. And he also gave me something else. I have been saying for the longest, I was going to get a tattoo with my mother's name on me. Looking at his tattoo, I'm getting my tattoo.
  
Thank you, Audrey, for giving us your son. That's all you can ask for, is to hope your baby grow up and give back to others. The job of an EMT is one of the most challenging jobs you could have. You are seeing people in their darkest moment, in their most painful moment, and you have to still push through. It's an amazing profession.

And think about it, folks, 21 years, he became an EMT months after our center of trade was attacked at 9/11. Many people were uncertain we were going to fill those ranks. No one wanted to be those first responders anymore and he stood up and he stated, I will do it, like many of you have.

Let's continue to lift up his name. Let's continue to be committed to providing the service that the people of this city expect, and one of the greatest EMTs this country knows. I thank you as your mayor. I'm proud of you and I'm proud of our brothers. EMT Whiteside was on the right side. He was on our side. Thank you.
  
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Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh: Today we gather to salute a man who loved his job, who joined the FDNY, as the mayor mentioned, just a mere seven months after September 11th, 2001. He knew how hard, how challenging and how dangerous this job was. He chose it anyway. He absolutely loved this job.

For 18 years, he delivered emergency medical care with passion and skill to New Yorkers in the Bronx and in Brooklyn. He was an experienced EMT, especially known for his ability to connect with his patients, providing them the comfort and calm that they needed in their toughest and darkest moments.

And when he made his way to the 911 dispatch system in January of 2019, his time in the streets made him uniquely qualified for that job. At six foot two inches tall, always with a smile on his face, as you can see in those pictures, Frederick had a presence just walking into any room, but it was his personality that was hardest not to notice.

Everyone wanted him on their team. Easy to work with, reliable, funny and passionate about the FDNY. He was a natural leader working as a union delegate and being respected by his peers and his bosses alike. He led with empathy and he knew how to speak with his patients in crisis and with the EMTs who he was dispatching to those same calls that he used to go on.

He was a mentor to so many, teaching the ins and outs of emergency dispatch with ease. Frederick always saw the bright side of things even when it seemed impossible to find. No matter the day, good or bad, he met it the same way with his even temper and shared his empathy and experience with everyone he came across.

There was only one role that Frederick took more seriously than being an EMT, and that was being a father to his beautiful daughter, Jaylynn. Jaylynn, in these last few days talking to your dad's friends, every single one of them has said that you were the best part of his life.

He loved being your dad, spending time with you and watching you grow up. He and your mom, Clorinda, are so proud of the young woman and the young adult you've become.

Frederick also adored his mother, Audrey. Being a doting son was his natural for him as being an EMT. And he looked up to his uncle Jeff, who shared his life in public service as a police officer.

Frederick's positive outlook on life was so universal, so steady that everyone who knew him insisted that today he would expect us not to mourn his loss but to celebrate his life. In the FDNY, we promised to never forget those we have lost. So, today, in honor of Frederick's extraordinary life, let us vow to be more like him, to spread the positivity he brought into every situation.

Let us walk into the room with a smile today. Let us stay even tempered in times of difficulty and stress and danger. Let us mentor a coworker, comfort a family member and make a friend laugh. Let us all more fully dedicate ourselves to our city, to public service, to helping those in our community who need it most. Let us have a positive effect on everyone we meet. It was his legacy and it is our duty to carry it on his behalf.

To Frederick's family, today we make a vow to never forget his memory and to ensure it will live on in everything that we do. You'll always have a home with the FDNY and a place in our hearts. We celebrate Frederick with you and we thank you for making him the great man he was, for sharing him with the FDNY and with the New Yorkers whose lives he saved. May God bless the Whiteside family and may God continue to bless the FDNY. Thank you.

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