WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES SEPTEMBER 20, 2018 3
Community raises thousands for late PO’s family
BY RYAN KELLEY
RKELLEY@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
TWITTER @R_KELLEY6
Queens residents have once
again come together to show its
generosity and support for one
of its own during a time of sadness
aft er the recent, sudden passing of
Police Offi cer Joseph Simone, a longtime
veteran of the 104th Precinct in
Ridgewood.
Simone passed away on Sept. 11
aft er a medical emergency, and two
days later a Go Fund Me account was
created by Tom Barberio on Sept. 13
to help alleviate the college expenses
for Simone’s two children. Within 24
hours, the account received more than
$13,000 in donations from the community.
As of Sept. 19, the fund has grown
to $24,717.
“Whether you knew Joe for years,
or only met him for mere minutes, he
left a lasting impression. His laugh and
smile could immediately fi ll a room,”
wrote Barberio on the Go Fund Me
page. “It is in times of tragedy when
you see just how many people truly
care about your loved one. It’s our
turn now to show the Simone family
how much we care about them.”
At a 104th Precinct Community
Council meeting on Sept. 18, Deputy
SPECIALS
Police Offi cer Joe Simone, a 25-year veteran of the NYPD, who passed
away unexpectedly on Sept. 11.
Inspector John Mastronardi, commanding
offi cer of the precinct, began
his usual routine of presenting the
“Cops of the Month” and updating the
local crime statistics by fi rst taking
time to refl ect on what happened to
Simone.
to
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SCHOOL
Photo via Tom Barberio/Go Fund Me
Mastronardi explained that while he
was working on the evening of Sept. 10,
one of his lieutenants called to inform him
that Simone had been rushed to the hospital.
At the time, they suspected Simone had
suffered a stroke or heart attack, Mastronardi
said, but he could not confirm the
cause of death. The commanding officer
immediately began to mobilize his officers
to get in contact with Simone’s family and
go to the hospital to offer their support.
By the time Mastronardi arrived at
the hospital, Simone was already being
brought into emergency surgery, he
said. The next day, while attending the
Sept. 11 memorial services at Juniper
Valley Park, Mastronardi received the
call that Simone had passed.
“He was not only my police offi cer,
he was my peer, and I considered him
a dear friend,” Mastronardi said. “He
had a big smile, loved cappuccinos and
he had a crazy mustache. God bless you,
Joe, thank you for everything you’ve
done and we’re going to miss you.”
Simone was laid to rest on Sept.
17, where Mastronardi presented
Simone’s wife with his burial flag.
Outside precincts were called in to
cover the command while the entire
104th Precinct attended the burial, a
“very touching ceremony” with a huge
turnout, the commanding offi cer said.
A 25-year veteran of the NYPD, Simone
spent the majority of his career
serving the 104th Precinct.
For those who would like to contribute
to the fund for his children’s
education, the Go Fund Me page will
be accessible until Oct. 5 with the goal
of reaching $30,000.
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