FDNY Colleagues, Family & Friends Pay Final Respects To EMT Yadira Arroyo
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- FDNY members, family and friends came together Saturday to pay their final respects to a Bronx EMT killed in the line of duty last week.
Yadira Arroyo, a mother of five, was killed when police say a man overtook the ambulance she was driving and ran her over.
Yadi, as she was known, will be remembered for more than how she died. She was a dedicated mother to her children and fellow EMTS. The 14-year veteran with the FDNY was working an extra shift when she was killed.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, it was a white gloved salute from a crowd of thousands; colleagues, family, friends, and strangers who came to honor a woman who made the ultimate sacrifice while helping others.
Arroyo was hailed as a hero by those gathered outside St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, and from those inside giving eulogies.
"She protected, she served, she gave her all every day," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
PHOTOS: FDNY EMT Killed In Line Of Duty Laid To Rest
Arroyo, 44, and her partner, Monique Williams, were responding to a call of a pregnant woman in distress when they were flagged down by a pedestrian about a theft, authorities say. Arroyo got out of the vehicle and a man darted into the driver's seat and ran her down before crashing into parked cars. The horrific scene was captured on bystander video and shows Williams sobbing in the street over her fallen partner.
"Most of all, she was a hero," said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. "She died as one, but most importantly, she lived as one."
Nigro said emergency medical technicians do a dangerous job, but Arroyo did it time and time again, even during asthma attacks. She took her job very seriously.
Arroyo's partner attempted to give a reading, but could only cry at the lectern while another read in her place. Arroyo's aunt and 23-year-old son Jose Montes delivered eulogies, telling of a kind, brave and resilient woman who loved her job and loved her family.
"My mother wasn't perfect, she was excellent," Montes said. "The way she inspired me, the way she lights up the whole room with her wonderful laugh. On top of any other lessons she showed me to make me as tough and as gentle, as wise and a curious as I am now, she taught me how to listen. Because she listened."
Montes said that he missed her, but that his mother instilled in him a confidence and taught him to accept and to help people from all walks of life.
"Mommy's OK guys, and we're all OK," he said to his brothers, the youngest of whom is 7. "Because we all have each other."
The FDNY has embraced their fallen colleague's sons, ages 7 to 23-years old.
"They're going to be a part of our family," Captain Joseph Jefferson said. "We're connected and that bond won't be broken."
Jefferson adds that Arroyo was their rock at Station 26.
A line of the city's bravest spanned the streets outside the wake for Arroyo earlier this week. Members of the FDNY who knew and loved the fallen EMT were left to reminisce about the mother of five, who served the same role at her Bronx station house.
"Yadi was like the mother at our station. She always wanted to feed us, she always wanted to make sure we were fed, ready to go for our shift," paramedic Alex Tull said.
"I'm going to miss her, more than you guys could ever know," paramedic David Cadogan said.
Arroyo, a 14-year veteran of the FDNY, died in the line of duty last week when police say Jose Gonzalez overtook the ambulance she was driving and ran her over with it.
Family members said the 25-year-old alleged career criminal who's charged with her murder suffers from schizophrenia, WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported.
"She certainly lived as a hero and died as a hero for the city," Nigro said. "The 1,146th member of the New York City Fire Department to die in the performance of their duty."
She leaves behind five sons, as well as the countless lives she touched.
"This hurts, this hurts. Our members have been rallying around each other. We go home, we can't sleep, we come back to the station because we only find comfort around each other," Cadogan said.
"Me and my brothers, we're all going to stick together and we're not going to let go of each other. We're going to be here for each other and support each other in every single way," her son, Jose Montes, said.
As for her children, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has raise $185,000 to go to the boys' futures.
The funeral will get underway at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in the Bronx at 11 a.m.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
