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The street that runs through Oakdale's newly developed Oak Creek Commons is not just another address, but a memorial for the family and friends of World Trade Center victim Patrick O'Keefe.
More than 50 people gathered to honor and remember O'Keefe at the sign's unveiling Friday - which would have been O'Keefe's 52nd birthday.
O'Keefe, who belonged to FDNY Rescue Company 1 in midtown Manhattan, died in the 2001 attacks.
"It's a wonderful honor, a great tribute and it means a lot," said his widow, Karen O'Keefe, who lives a little more than a mile from the sign. "It will just be wonderful for our grandchildren and their grandchildren to go [there]. His memory will be here forever."
The naming of the street took some time.
"We don't have many new streets being made. It's a rare thing to get a new street as opposed to getting honorary signs," said Town of Islip Councilman Christopher Bodkin, who attended the unveiling.
Bodkin suggested the idea to the owner of the development, Paul Aniboli during the project's beginning phases. "Like all the other heroes of 9/11, he is a hero to each and every one of us and should never be forgotten," said Aniboli, whose company donated the $900 for the sign.
Though misspelled - the current sign has a lowercase 'k' and lacks an apostrophe - a corrected version will be in place within a few weeks, the time required to make a new one, Aniboli said>>>
SEE www.the bravest.com for picture
More than 50 people gathered to honor and remember O'Keefe at the sign's unveiling Friday - which would have been O'Keefe's 52nd birthday.
O'Keefe, who belonged to FDNY Rescue Company 1 in midtown Manhattan, died in the 2001 attacks.
"It's a wonderful honor, a great tribute and it means a lot," said his widow, Karen O'Keefe, who lives a little more than a mile from the sign. "It will just be wonderful for our grandchildren and their grandchildren to go [there]. His memory will be here forever."
The naming of the street took some time.
"We don't have many new streets being made. It's a rare thing to get a new street as opposed to getting honorary signs," said Town of Islip Councilman Christopher Bodkin, who attended the unveiling.
Bodkin suggested the idea to the owner of the development, Paul Aniboli during the project's beginning phases. "Like all the other heroes of 9/11, he is a hero to each and every one of us and should never be forgotten," said Aniboli, whose company donated the $900 for the sign.
Though misspelled - the current sign has a lowercase 'k' and lacks an apostrophe - a corrected version will be in place within a few weeks, the time required to make a new one, Aniboli said>>>
SEE www.the bravest.com for picture
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