‘Thomas Lateulere Street’ dedicated to fallen Wading River volunteer firefighter

Family, friends, fellow firefighters, neighbors and public officials gathered on Hulse Landing Road yesterday evening to formally dedicate 20th Street “Thomas Lateulere Street.”

Lateulere, a commissioner and ex-chief of the Wading River Fire Department passed away in June 2016. He would have been 54 on Tuesday.

Latuelere dedicated his life to emergency services. He was chief of training and education for Suffolk County Emergency Medical Services in addition to being a 35-year volunteer with the Wading River Fire Department.

Wading River Fire Department volunteer firefighters stood at attention as Lateulere’s mother JoAnn, flanked by local officials, pulled a cord to unveil the new street sign bearing the fallen firefighter’s name.

“He was instrumental in our fire department and Suffolk EMS,” Wading River Fire Chief Kevin McQueeney said. “Everybody who goes by this way is going to see this sign and think of Tom and remember him and all he did and how dedicated he was to the department, the EMS and the community,” the chief said.

“Tom’s service epitomizes what it means to be a volunteer, to serve and protect,” said Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter. “Everyone should aspire to walk in Tom Lateulere’s footsteps.”

Lateulere touched countless lives as a teacher and mentor, the lives of “every single EMT, Advanced Life Support and paramedic in Suffolk County,” Lateulere’s lifelong friend, Greg Meyer, who served as an assistant chief when Lateulere was fire chief, told RiverheadLOCAL last year.

“He took Suffolk County to the forefront of emergency medical services throughout the state.”

When Lateulere passed away last year, thousands of people came from all over the region to pay their respects at a wake and services held at fire department headquarters.

His mother said last night she never realized how much her son meant to so many people.

“She had no idea how much Tommy was loved because he never bragged, never said a word,” said Chris Hopkins, longtime family friend and neighbor on 20th Street, where Lateulere grew up and spent his life.

“I never dreamed —” JoAnn Lateulere said, gazing up at the street sign on the corner of 20th and Hulse Landing Road. “He’s my son and I loved him so much, but I never knew how so many others felt — until after he was gone.”

Hopkins said Lateulere was a very caring person. “Any time anyone in our neighborhood was sick, he heard it on the radio and would be at your house,” she said.

“He absolutely deserves this,” Lateulere’s girlfriend Raegin Kellerman said, “even though he wouldn’t have accepted it. In fact, he would have hated this,” she said with a smile — and tears — gesturing at the crowd gathered for the brief ceremony. County Legislator Al Krupski, Riverhead town board members John Dunleavy and Jodi Giglio joined the town supervisor and deputy supervisor Jill Lewis for the ceremony, which was attended by dozens of neighbors, friends, firefighters and EMTs.  “But he deserves this. He dedicated his life to the fire department and the EMS community,” Kellerman said.

“He was a really good man who loved his community and wanted to do the right thing in life.”

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti