Family and friends gathered to remember fallen NYPD Detective Steven McDonald on the 9th anniversary of his death at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan on Saturday.
McDonald was a 29-year-old patrolman when he was shot three times on July 12, 1986, by a 15-year-old boy while he was questioning the teen about bicycle thefts in Central Park.
One of the bullets shattered his spine, paralyzing him from the neck down and leaving him in need of a ventilator for the rest of his life. He died 31 years later on Jan. 10, 2017, from respiratory complications at age 59.
“My father was a tremendous human being,” his son, NYPD Captain Conor McDonald, told The Post. “He faced evil and darkness and he overcame it through the power of prayer and love.”
McDonald was joined in the gathering in the iconic cathedral on Fifth Avenue by his wife and two children, his mother, Patricia McDonald, who was three months pregnant with him when his dad was shot, and dozens of NYPD members and officials, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“After the shooting he was given three to five years to live,” McDonald recalled. “The doctors didn’t think he was going to be able to survive the injuries for that long. He believed the grace of God gave him the power to overcome his injuries.”
The teen who shot McDonald served nine years in prison. He was killed in a motorcycle crash four days after his release on parole.
“My dad was just remarkable,” the son recalled. “He could go from Chinatown to 125th Street to Middle Village and he could connect with anybody. He made it his mission to bridge the gap between all different communities. He just wanted to make NYC and the world a better place.”
One of the speakers at the event echoed that sentiment.
“He gave us hope,” Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry told the attendees. “He inspired us to always be grateful for what we have, to give back to others. He was truly one of a kind.”
Detectives Endowment Association President Scott Munro told the congregants how McDonald would visit precinct roll calls around the city in his wheelchair, “speaking directly with cops.”
“Whether you were a rookie or a seasoned detective he met you where you were – with humility, sincerity and respect,” Munro said. “That’s why his words stayed with you long after the conversation ended.”
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