4 DECEMBER 30, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Governor Hochul signs law protecting individuals with
disabilities during a pandemic in honor of Glendale man
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Fred’s Law
on Dec. 21, which changes hospital
protocol to allow people with disabilities
a support person for their entire
hospitalization, even during a pandemic.
The bill (S.1035A) was introduced by
Queens state Senator Joseph Addabbo
and Assembly member Stacey Pheff er
Amato to protect individuals with disabilities
who are unable to describe
medical conditions for themselves. Even
during an emergency situation like the
COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital protocols
don’t allow any visitors, people
with disabilities would still have the right
to an essential support person present.
Fred’s Law was named after Fred
D’Amico, a man with autism from Glendale
who contracted COVID-19 and died
alone in the hospital in March of 2020.
Medical staff would not allow his family,
who were his caretakers, to be with him
due to COVID restrictions.
The D’Amico family has fought tirelessly
to get this bill passed in order to
prevent this from happening to anyone
else.
“This bill is very important, not only to
me in memory of my son, but for everybody
in the hospital that needs support,”
Fred’s mother Maria D’Amico said. “Now
we have a voice, and now we have to
Fred D’Amico (r.), who was disabled, died of COVID-19 alone when
hospitalized in 2020. Courtesy of Senator Addabbo’s offi ce
continue talking to people to know this
bill passed so nobody dies alone in the
hospital with a disability.”
Maria plans to continue her advocacy
and spread the word about this law to
make sure individuals with disabilities
are protected. She also said she wants her
son to be remembered as a “happy young
man with the heart of a little boy.”
“When my son needed me the most, I
couldn’t be there for him,” Maria said.
“Every time you see my son he was very
happy and the last time I saw my son he
was very scared in the hospital by the
window.”
Addabbo was moved by the D’Amico’s
story and wanted to join their eff ort to
make sure this didn’t happen to other
families.
“The D’Amico family has fought hard
to make sure that no other family goes
through the pain they felt when they lost
Fred because no one was allowed to be
with him when he entered the hospital in
2020,” Addabbo said. “This law is a major
step forward in protecting our citizens
with disabilities if they need to enter a
hospital by allowing an essential support
person to accompany them for the
duration of their stay.”
Hochul signed Fred’s Law as part of a
package of legislation to help individuals
with disabilities.
“People with disabilities are a crucial
part of our New York family and deserve
to be treated with dignity and respect,”
Hochul said. “The bills I’m signing into
law today will ensure people with disabilities
are supported in health care,
employment and beyond. Working
together, we’ll make sure our recovery
from the pandemic includes every single
New Yorker.”
Connie Altamirano, community activist
and family friend of the D’Amicos,
said it’s important to note that this fi ght
is not over. Now, they will work to ensure
everyone knows about this law.
“The next step is to educate the public,”
Altamirano said. “We need to help communicate
to the people their rights; a
lot of disabled people don’t know about
their rights. This is a huge step forward
in protecting the rights of our disabled
community who are too oft en overlooked
and neglected in public policy. With this
bill, Fred’s parents have been given a
sense of closure in the knowledge that
his legacy goes on, and his memory will
not be forgotten.”
NYC Parks completes $1.8 million makeover of Doughboy Park
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Taking a break from his whirlwind
farewell tour of western
Queens community organizations
and cultural institutions,
outgoing Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer joined officials from NYC
Parks on Dec. 16 to cut the ribbon on
the newly reconstructed $1.8 million
plaza and seating area at Doughboy
Park in the heart of Woodside.
Work involved the reconstruction
of the existing memorial wall, which
included the re-setting of the 9-11 Memorial
Plaque, and the installation
of new granite veneer facing and
bluestone coping.
The plaza was repaved with new
bluestone pavement and includes
new benches to provide ample seating.
The fl agpole was reconstructed
and the World War I memorial stone
tablets were relocated within a planting
bed around the Doughboy statue.
The reconstruction project was
a priority for longtime Woodside
Civic Association President Ed Bergendahl,
a Korean War veteran who
passed away in 2018. Bergendahl
would preside over the annual Sept.
11 remembrance events at Doughboy
Park reminding all who attended
that Woodside’s ZIP code has the
largest representation of those that
died on 9/11 and during the Vietnam
War.
“Doughboy Plaza is a sacred place
that is now in the beautiful condition
it rightfully deserves,” Van Bramer
said. “I funded this project at the
request of the late Ed Bergendahl, a
veteran who knew how important
this space is to the community, and I
am thrilled that after the restoration
and improvements it is open once
again for the public to enjoy.”
The park is tucked behind P.S.
11, on the corner of Woodside Avenue
between 54th and 56th streets,
where soldiers gathered at the “mustering
ground” before departing to
fight in World War I. The Returning
Soldier, later dubbed the Woodside
Doughboy, was a monument erected
at the site in 1923 by the Woodside
Community Council in remembrance
of the local men and women
who served in World War I.
The Woodside Doughboy is one
of eight such statues erected in New
York City parks.
“Woodside’s Doughboy Park now
has a brand new bluestone plaza,
making it a worthy space to recognize
and honor all of the soldiers
who gave their lives in service to
their country,” Queens Borough
Parks Commissioner Michael Dockett
said. “We are thrilled that this
project was completed in time for the
community to enjoy it over the fall
season, and we’re grateful to Council
member Van Bramer for his support
on this transformative project.”
The park also has new landscaping
with new trees, shrubs and new stair
access to the upper dog run area.
Elected and city offi cials cut the ribbon on the newly completed $1.8
million makeover of Doughboy Park in Woodside.
Photo courtesy of NYC Parks/Daniel Avila
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
link
link
