Ledecky Visits Police Precinct and Firehall

With the New York Islanders hosting a First Responders Night on Thursday vs the New York Rangers, Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky wanted to extend a special invitation to first responders in the community and their families in advance of the game.
Ledecky made a pair of stops in Queens on Wednesday, visiting the 102nd Precinct in Richmond Hill before dropping by a firehouse in Far Rockaway. He gave out Islanders shirts, hats, tickets and Blue Line Deli lunches as a thank you for everything these everyday heroes do for the community.

"These are the heroes," Ledecky said. "Our guys play hockey… but the real heroes are standing right next to me. And I think that's the most important thing. We're able to shed a light on the real heroes of our community."
At the 102nd Precinct, Ledecky visited with the families of two fallen police officers, Detective Brian Simonsen, who was killed in the line of duty in February 2019 after 19 years on the force, and Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo, who was also killed in the line of duty in November 2016, also after 19 years on the force.

Detective Simonsen is survived by his wife Leanne, and Sgt. Tuozzolo is survived by his wife, Lisa, and two boys, Austin and Joey. The Tuozzolo boys are both aspiring hockey players and Islanders fans. They've both had the chance to skate at UBS Arena during intermissions and after games.
"The New York Islanders have done so much for everyone around us," Lisa Tuozzolo said. "We've been lifelong fans and to have the Islanders organization be so loving and caring to Leanne and I and so many other law enforcement families just means the world to us."
Ledecky joked that the 9-and-10-year-old kids might wind up playing for the Islanders one day as he looked around the office for a pen to sign a contract. The boys said their favorite hockey numbers are 87 and 43, references to Sgt. Tuozzolo's precinct and badge numbers and are going to get personalized jerseys on Thursday. Leanne Simonsen was given a jersey with 3877 on the back, representing Detective Simonsen's badge number. The name plates all read hero.
FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT TICKETS
"It's amazing and it's always bittersweet because if anyone would love this, Brian would be beside himself," Leanne Simonsen said. "I'm glad I can at least represent him and cheer for the Islanders. We're very excited and Jon has been amazing to law enforcement and I can't thank you enough."
The Islanders presented the families - as well as the members of the 102nd Precinct - tickets to Thursday's Islanders-Rangers game at UBS Arena, which fittingly enough is First Responders Night.
"Your families have kept us safe for decades and decades and the policemen and women who work here are so important to our community," Ledecky said. "They are the backbone of the community. They keep us safe every day and, as you know all too well, they put their lives on the line every day. So we think about your husbands every day and we thank them for their service."

Afterwards, Ledecky and Sparky went to Far Rockaway and visited The Big House, a supersized firehall made up of three units, Engines 264 and 328, and Ladder 134. Ledecky wanted to personally visit with the family of Jesse Gerhard, a 33-year-old fireman who passed away in February. The Islanders Co-Owner spent an hour sitting with the family learning about the young fireman - who was also a volunteer in the Islip Fire Department.
The fire hall's Islanders ties run deep, with plenty of fans living and working in the house and Islanders logos and stickers spotted throughout. Ledecky pointed out the irony of a dragon being openly embraced by firefighters, although the dragon today was fully outfitted in a firefighter coat and helmet.
"It makes me very proud as a fan and also as a fireman that the owners and the mascot can all come here and show us their support," Peter Abbondondolo, a fireman and a life-long Islanders fan said. "It's very big. It's very important for us."

MEET THE EMT BEHIND THE FIRST RESPONDERS PATCH
The upcoming FDNY-NYPD hockey game was a topic of conversation at both facilities. The FDNY lineup was written out on the chalkboard in the firehouse and one of the FDNY coaches - whose daughter is enrolled in the Islanders Girls Elite Hockey Program - was there for the visit. This year's game will be played at UBS Arena on April 30.
For Ledecky, both visits on Wednesday, Thursday's First Responders Game and next week's FDNY-NYPD game just reinforced the Islanders' desire to recognize heroes in the community.
"Through the mechanism of having this sports team, we're trying to put a light on the real every day working heroes who make a difference in our lives."