Hicksville Street Dedicated To Fallen NYPD Officer

HICKSVILLE, NY — Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and his colleagues in Town government, including Councilman Tom Hand, Councilwoman Vicki Walsh, Councilwoman Laura Maier, were joined by New York State Senator Steve Rhoads, Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker and officials from the New York Police Department in a ceremonious street dedication to honor fallen NYPD Officer Terence P. Connelly, who died in the line of duty as a result of cancer he developed after being exposed to toxins while working at Ground Zero after 9/11.

A 'Terence P. Connelly Way' street sign was unveiled by Officer Connelly's family at the corner of Blueberry Lane and Elmira Street in Hicksville, which is situated on the block where he grew up and his parents, Mary and Henry Connelly, still live.

Connelly, a rookie cop with the 112th Precinct at the time, responded when the Twin Towers fell and worked at Ground Zero with others searching for survivors in the days and weeks following the attacks. He was 47 when he died on February 8, 2021.

"Terence responded into danger when his fellow Americans needed help," said Saladino. "Officer Connelly is a true American Hero, but also as a kind and warm-hearted person who was a loving husband and a fantastic father."

Saladino said that when people pass by the block, they will remember Connelly as an exemplary first responder who did not hesitate to act, even if the situation was perilous, and as someone who always put the safety of residents ahead of his own.

"This street, in the community where he lived for many years, will forever serve as a reminder of his sacrifice and his extraordinary life," said Saladino.