By Leila Merrill
NEW YORK — A retired FDNY member has died of a 9/11-related illness. The news of his passing follows the deaths of three others over the holiday weekend.
The FDNY Family Assistance Unit announced Thursday that retired Deputy Chief Vincent J. Mandala, who had been with Division 11, died of a World Trade Center-related illness over the weekend. NBC New York and Pix 11 reported that he died on Tuesday.
In an Instagram post, the FDNY UFA said, “We send our deepest condolences to his wife Joan, sons Christopher, James, Thomas, Mark and extended family. He served our great department for 42 incredible years.”
https://twitter.com/UFANYC/status/1532504408940060673
“To date, 287 FDNY members have had their lives cut short by World Trade Center-related illnesses, including four retired firefighters in just the last week alone,” Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said, according to Pix 11. “These tragic losses are grim reminders of the sacrifices the FDNY continues to make, and the extraordinary bravery displayed by the members of the Department on September 11th, and in the rescue and recovery effort that followed.”
Mandala’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.