A New York Fire Department firefighter has died of a heart attack just months after he was fired as part of the city’s layoffs— leaving his grieving widow and kids struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
36-year-old Derek Floyd suffered cardiac arrest and died on April 15, four months after the city sacked him as budget cuts were made. His unexpected death now leaves his grieving widow and children struggling to maintain their home.
Floyd was one of 10 Fire Department employees who had reportedly been on “long term duty”, which means being either injured on the job and given office work or out sick for an extended period of time and was fired weeks before Christmas, FDNY sources told The New York Post.
While on duty, Floyd helped in the chaplain’s office, and on this modified duty, the firefighter helped arrange the funerals of fallen FDNY members.
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The married father of two young children was working hard to become medically cleared to return to active fire-fighting before he lost his job.
Floyd was also a veteran who served three tours in the Middle East with the Marines. He was working a desk job because he had suffered another heart attack in 2019 while he was in the Fire Academy.
Tragically, before he was laid off he was close to gaining additional medical benefits for his family and more than $600,000 worth of death benefits, now leaving his family with nothing despite his years of service to the city.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” Floyd’s 34-year-old widow Cristine said of the family’s experience.
“I think it definitely took a toll once they let him go,” she said of her husband’s firing. “He always tried to, like, stay positive about it, and he wasn’t really angry.
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“But you see a person, and the wheels are turning in their brain where they’re just constantly thinking, so I definitely think it did affect us.”
Determined in spite of the adversity of losing his job, he found a role with a non-profit that helps veterans, but his salary was a fraction of what he made with the FDNY, the benefits were limited, and the hours prevented him from spending time with their kids, a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.
“He used to be so present for, like, our kids and stuff,” Cristine said.
“Being a firefighter was something he was really passionate about. He was really a big-time, like, family person, he was all about his kids.
Watching her husband struggle to make ends meet while being present with his family after the firing was devastating according to Cristine.
“I really, really loved him, and so it was hard,” she said.
“We are heartbroken over the passing of former Probationary Firefighter Derek Floyd, and will explore all financial, legal and legislative options to help his family and ensure they have the support they need during this time,” said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.