The Tunnel to Towers Foundation recently paid off the mortgage of the late former FDNY firefighter Derek Floyd. In Aril, Floyd died of a heart attack, leaving his family in a financially vulnerable position since he was fired last year amid service cuts under New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller spoke to Christine and let her know her mortgage would be paid in full,” according to a statement from the organization. Floyd’s widowed wife, Christine, noted that the financial gift was a “miracle.”
“When I received the phone call, I had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t stop sobbing,” Christine said. “This is a miracle from God in the midst of such a storm.” She continued, “I am very grateful for Frank Siller and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation for assisting my family after Derek’s passing, Derek would have been grateful and proud that his service to his country is being repaid and honored to his family.”
Reportedly, Floyd’s firing was the product of the city attempting to cut costs across every agency to cover the exorbitant expense of the migrant crisis. Some estimates suggest that over 180,000 have poured into New York City since the spring of 2022, straining its infrastructure and budget. Floyd was let go along with 10 other probationary firefighters.
Unfortunately, the former firefighter had not been on the job for five years, making his family ineligible to receive post-death benefits. Conservative commentator I Meme Therefore I Am pointed out that Floyd’s family would have missed out on over $600,000 in benefits if he had still been employed.
The conservative X personality illustrated the sheer cost of the New York City migrant crisis, which led to his job being cut in the first place. Reportedly, the Big Apple is trying to free up roughly $10 billion to accommodate the housing needs of illegal immigrants.
“Tunnel to Towers pays off the mortgage for the widow of FDNY firefighter and former Marine Vet Derek Floyd, who was fired due to service cuts under Adams’ administration, redirecting funds to illegals. Earlier this month, Derek Floyd, tragically passed away from a heart attack, leaving his family in dire financial straits. The 36-year-old was fired last year as part of the Adams’ cost-saving strategy to allocate nearly $10 billion for housing and feeding illegals. His ousting left his family without the more than $600,000 in death benefits had he still been on the job when he passed away,” the post read.
In the aftermath of Floyd’s death, legislative action has also been taken to ensure to step in and assist the former firefighter’s family. Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens) proposed a bill that would allow his family to receive retroactive eligibility for the post-mortem benefits.
Mayor Eric Adams defended the firing of the probationary officers, stating that the city would be “misspending” taxpayer funds to continue to their employment. “We can’t just say, ‘OK, you were brought on to be a firefighter, you don’t qualify, we’re going to hold you on the payroll anyway.’ We can’t do that,” Adams said.
Featured image credit: Tunnel to Towers Foundation
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