New York State Police honored one of their own Saturday in Riverhead.
Retired State Police Sergeant Michael L. Piro, 63, of Calverton died Jan. 6 from an illness related to his service in and around the World Trade Center site State troopers following the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, Superintendent Steven James announced.
Piro retired from the New York State Police on March 26, 2015, after 29 years of service. He was last assigned to Troop L SP-Riverside.
More than 100 state troopers attended the funeral yesterday. Troopers escorted the hearse the short distance from McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home on Marcy Avenue to St. Isidore’s Church on Pulaski Street. They stood in formation in the street as the funeral procession arrived and pallbearers — uniformed troopers — carried the casket up the church steps and into the sanctuary.
Piro is the 39th member of the New York State Police to die from an illness resulting from the 9/11 attacks.
Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff in Piro’s honor.
Piro is survived by his children, Melissa, Jennifer, Michael, and Joseph, and his grandchildren Jillian, Anna, Karlie and Sullivan. He was preceded in death by his wife Cynthia. See full obituary.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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