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