Steven McDonald with his wife Patti Ann and son Conor at the 2013 New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Photo by Madeline O’Boyle.
By Ray O’Hanlon
Hero New York police officer Steven McDonald has died, aged 59.
McDonald passed away Tuesday just a few days after suffering a heart attack.
The funeral for the NYPD icon will take place Friday morning at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who has spoken to reporters of McDonald’s “saintliness,” will officiate at the Mass.
The McDonald family – and that, in the broader sense, included the NYPD – had maintained a bedside vigil after the paralyzed detective suffered the heart attack last Friday.
McDonald had been in intensive care at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, Long Island.
McDonald was left a quadriplegic after being shot three times in Central Park in 1986.
He later forgave the 15-year-old shooter.
Family members, fellow police officers, and former NYPD Police commissioner Ray Kelly, were among those maintaining the vigil at the hospital where Mass and rosaries were said over the weekend and up until the very end.
McDonald, who was promoted to detective first grade, and had continued his career with the NYPD, was a widely known and respected peace activist.
Despite being confined to a wheelchair that included a machine to enable his breathing, he carried his message of forgiveness and reconciliation to other parts of the world over the years, including Northern Ireland.
The son of a police officer, McDonald, a member of AOH Division 14 on Long Island, looked on proudly last year as his 29-year-old son, Conor, was presented with his gold detective shield and promoted to sergeant.
“He’s always made us proud. I have to salute him now,” said Steven at the promotion ceremony.
Conor McDonald described his father’s presence at the promotion ceremony as a “gift from God.”
Immediately after the news emerged that Detective McDonald had passed, tributes began pouring in from individuals and organizations, in New York and beyond.
The front page of today’s Daily News carried a photo of McDonald with the headline “God’s Cop.”
The New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade said that it would honor “beloved New York Police Detective Steven McDonald” on March 17.
From Boston, former mayor and U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, Ray Flynn, said: “Steve McDonald was my dear friend and upon hearing the news of his death today, I did what Steve and I have often done over the past twenty years, head to a Catholic Church to pray for a person, or a cause we both deeply believe in, whether victims of violence, the homeless to the dignity of all people including the weak, vulnerable and unborn.
“Steve taught us to forgive people who offended us and proved that love is more powerful than hate.
“I was honored to join him at so many historic and memorial events and in advocating for causes from peace and justice in Northern Ireland, helping poor families, to supporting victims of violence.
“He was proud of his family, to wear the uniform of the New York Police Department, and to be a faithful Catholic. Steve was an inspiration to all people who believe in social justice and forgiveness.”
New York Congressman, Joe Crowley, said in a statement: “I am heartbroken to learn of NYPD Detective Steven McDonald’s passing.
“His story captivated an entire city, his courage inspired us all, and his selflessness and forgiveness to the person who shot him over 30 years ago was a lesson in humility that will forever be associated with the name Steven McDonald.
“Through insurmountable odds, Steven persevered to continue serving New Yorkers in new ways.
“He helped bring communities together both here and abroad, by reminding us all to appeal to our better selves. His loss will be felt by the countless lives he touched and I express my most sincere condolences to his family and the entire NYPD community during this difficult time.”
