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Brian Abbondandelo never got to meet his grandchildren.
But one day, as they walk through Roslyn and look up at the street sign bearing his name, they’ll be reminded of the hero their grandfather was — and feel just how proud their family and community remain.
That was the hope shared by colleagues and loved ones Saturday at the corner of Plympton Avenue and Garden Street, which was renamed in memory of Abbondandelo, a Nassau County Police officer who died in 2016 from cancer linked to his rescue work at Ground Zero after the 9/11 terror attacks. He was 53.
“This is really about these grandkids,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who is also Abbondandelo’s cousin. “Brian didn’t get to see these kids, and they didn’t get to know him. But they’ll grow up knowing what a special person he was — how much he loved his family, his community, and how proud he was to serve.”
The street renaming was part of the NCPD’s 100th anniversary tribute to 50 officers who died in the line of duty.
Abbondandelo, who served with the department for 24 years, is the most recent to be honored in the series.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said every fallen officer will be remembered with “due recognition” and a “celebration of life.”
“Brian’s legacy is now cemented in Roslyn,” he said.
North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said the sign isn’t just for Abbondandelo’s family — it’s for every child who walks past it.
“They’ll see a hero’s name,” she said. “Not someone in a movie or on stage, but someone who put himself between us and danger.”
As the next generation grows up around that corner, DiNapoli said the tribute ensures Abbondandelo’s memory — and his example — won’t fade.
“Let him be a role model for how to live a good life,” he said, “how to give back to your family, how to give back to your community.”
Top: Brian Abbondandelo’s family standing in front of the newly renamed street sign in Roslyn, honoring Abbondandelo’s life and service. (Credit: Ben Fiebert)
