Family of FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he lost his job gets boost from new ‘relief fund'

New York Post

3 days ago

The grief-stricken family of a FDNY firefighter who died of a heart attack after he was let go from the department after losing his job because of migrant crisis budget cuts got a $50,000 boost from a new 'relief fund.'
Long Islander Derek Floyd's widow Christine Floyd is the first recipient of the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund — a joint effort created by Nassau County and the the Uniformed Firefighters Association labor union.
'I'm just so grateful because I didn't have the means when he passed,' Christine Floyd, a mother of two, told The Post. 'I was way over my head in debt.'
8 Christine Floyd — the widow of FDNY firefighter Derek Floyd — with Uniformed Firefighters Association president Andrew Ansbro at an event announcing Floyd as the first recipient of the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund in Garden City on June 9, 2025.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
The fund was established to assist when firefighters face difficulties like the death of a spouse, long-term medical care, or a child born with a birth defect, union leaders said.
'I would say every year we see ourselves with about a half dozen to a dozen firefighters that are suffering something catastrophic,' UFA president Andrew Ansbro said.
'We're hoping we'll be able to provide long-term care,' he added of the finances currently coming solely from private donations and events like golf outings.
WABC radio owners John and Margo Catsimatidis donated $10,000 to the fund while Sullivan Papain, a firefighter advocacy law firm, has contributed $5,000.
8 Derek Floyd died of a heart attack last year after being laid off due to budget cuts.
Obtained by the NY Post
8 Floyd with Christine and their children.
FDNY Famlies Assistance Unit
A hero honored
Derek served valiantly as a distinguished US Marine sergeant for nearly a decade before joining the FDNY as a probationary member. His probationary status left Christine out of a lifetime of income after the fatal heart attack.
Christine, who met her husband of almost seven years ago as total strangers on a subway platform, missed about $600,000 in death benefits, according to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which paid the mortgage on their home.
'When you think widow, you're thinking of someone who has lived their life and has had plenty of years…now you're navigating this life without your partner in a two-income household,' said Christine Floyd, a 35-year-old guidance counselor in NYC's Department of Education.
8 Christine Floyd will receive $50,000 from the fund.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
8 Christine Floyd said she was 'over my head' in debt after her husband passed away.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
During his time in the FDNY, which began in 2019, Derek Floyd was on light duty in the ceremonial unit after a heart issue was found while he was in the FDNY academy.
Floyd previously went into cardiac arrest, and his wife had to do chest compressions on him. He died in April 2024.
She remembered her late husband as a family man who loved dressing in costumes to surprise their children Ethan and Abigail and would spend hours playing video games with them. Derek Floyd made sure their house was the best on the block when it came to holiday decorating, she added.
8 Ansbro wiping away tears at the press conference announcing the FDNY Firefighters Relief Fund.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
8 Floyd giving Ansbro a hug after her donation was announced.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
'He was very ambitious, and loyal, and disciplined. He was just a guy that everyone liked to be with,' Christine Floyd said.
Derek Floyd was 'always a guy with a plan' who would want to know his loved ones were being taken care of now, she said.
'Derek always said, 'blood doesn't make you family,'' she said. 'I feel like everyone who has contributed and everyone who has rallied around us, they are our family.'
8 Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaking about the fund in Garden City — an issue he says is 'near and dear' to him.
Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
The next recipient that the union president has in mind is an FDNY member who has been in intensive care since suffering a heart attack on a call in late winter. The firefighter may be forced to pay out of pocket if the ailment is ruled as not being directly related to the line of duty, he added.
The issue also hits home to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, whose nephew died as a first responder during 9/11.
This 'near and dear' issue made it a no-brainer for Blakeman to help intervene on behalf of 'trying to help people who would otherwise fall through the cracks' — especially the many who are vital community members on Long Island.
'The firefighters do an amazing job protecting the city of New York, but they also do a great job out here in Nassau.'