Family and friends of Dariel Vasquez filled St. Peter’s Church in Haverstraw on Monday morning to say their last goodbyes to “a leader among his peers.”
The flag for the Dominican Republic could be seen hanging from the ladder of a (company) fire truck parked outside St. Peter’s, as a full bagpipe band led the way for Vasquez’s casket, followed by his family into the church.
Sobs could be heard throughout the building as mourners gathered to say goodbye to the 18-year-old Pomona man who lost his life while fighting the Jennings Creek wildfire in Greenwood Lake on Nov. 9.
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The Mass was presided over by Pastor Fr. Rumando Peralta.
“I think the loss of this young man is an important reminder to this community that we need to live life purposefully every day,” Peralta said. “Life is the most important thing God can give us.”
Vasquez, a state parks aide, died after he was struck by a tree while working to contain the fire in Sterling Forest State Park.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that flags across New York State would be flown at half staff Monday to honor Vasquez.
Firefighters hoist the flag for the Dominican Republic outside the funeral Mass for Dariel Vasquez at St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s Church in Haverstraw Nov. 18, 2024.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Vasquez family as they mourn the sudden and tragic loss of Dariel,” Hochul said. “Dariel was only 18 years old and had a truly bright future ahead of him that has now been unfairly taken away. I commend his dedication to serving and protecting his fellow New Yorkers and his bravery on the front lines.”
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More: Gov. Hochul announces flags will fly half-staff Monday in NY in honor of Dariel Vasquez
Dariel Vasquez remembered as a ‘leader among his peers’
A 2024 graduate of Ramapo High School in Spring Valley, Vasquez was captain of the varsity baseball team, where he played for four years. He was named Rockland County Senior Male Athlete of spring 2024.
“He was a leader among his peers, inspiring others with his compassion, perseverance, and respect for all,” wrote a family member in a fundraiser post, which had raised over $75,000 dollars as of Friday, Nov. 15. “He had big dreams for the future, with plans to begin college this coming January, a journey he approached with the same dedication he brought to every role in his life.”
The funeral Mass for Dariel Vasquez was held Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at St. Peter’s and St. Mary’s Church in Haverstraw. Vasquez, a NYS Parks aide, was killed while fighting the Jennings Creek fire in Greenwood Lake.
At a vigil held Nov. 11, Vasquez’s cousin Erika DeJesus called him a “sweetheart” and said he was excited about the future and about his work as an aide at the NYS Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department.
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“He was a family person… like we all are,” DeJesus said “We are a very close-knit family, so this is a big blow for us. He had so much potential, he was getting ready to go to college.”
An investigation by the New York State Police and the New York State Parks Department into Vasquez’s death remains ongoing.
(This story may update.)
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Funeral for Rockland NY man killed while fighting Jennings Creek fire
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