FDNY firefighter fired by city to free up funds for illegal aliens dies suddenly, leaving behind struggling young family

Hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens have flooded into New York City where, in many cases, they receive thousands of dollars in free rent monthly from the government. They are also eligible for a host of taxpayer-funded services such as health insurance, medical care, food assistance, and public education.

NYC has struggled to find ways to pay down the cost of housing, feeding, and placating this unlawfully imported cohort, which has brought with it upticks in crime, disease, and resource competition, disproportionately affecting America's most vulnerable citizens. As with other Democratic-run sanctuary cities, NYC determined late last year that it would have to make various budget cuts, laying off citizen workers to free up funds for idling foreigners.

Derek Floyd, a 36-year-old former Marine who had gone to work for the New York City Fire Department, was one of the citizens who got the boot last year. Shortly thereafter, he died of a heart attack. Now, his family is facing financial struggles.

Floyd long aspired to be a firefighter. After picking up various accolades and campaign medals for tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea with the Marines, the proud American's dream began to materialize.

"He decided to go be a Marine," his mother told Newsday, "because he thought it could help him do better as a fireman."

Floyd made it to the FDNY Fire Academy and began to train for a second career protecting his countrymen, this time in New York City. However, one month into training, he suffered a nonfatal heart attack.

While unable to complete the academy on account of his June 2019 health episode, he went to work for four years as a probationary firefighter with the FDNY Ceremonial Unit, according to his obituary in Newsday.

Floyd worked on modified duty in the chaplain's office, helping to arrange the funerals of fallen firefighters — until the city canned him just before Christmas 2023.

FDNY sources told the New York Post that Floyd was one of roughly 10 employees who had been hurt on the job and assigned office work or had been sick for a prolonged period who were terminated as part of a broader budget cut scheme aimed at tackling the financial strain imposed by the city's overwhelming illegal alien population.

"What disturbs me the most is that the FDNY is understaffed by hundreds of firefighters. Terminating [Floyd] was absolutely unnecessary," Uniformed Firefighter Association President Andrew Ansbro told the Post. "He had an important job, and the FDNY actually needed him in that unit. He was terminated so the department could prove that they were making cuts. He deserved better."

After struggling to make ends meet, the husband and father died from a cardiac arrest four months later.

Christine Floyd, the Marine's widow, told the Post, "I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

"I think it definitely took a toll once they let him go," Christine Floyd said of Floyd's termination. "He always tried to, like, stay positive about it, and he wasn't really angry."

"But you see a person, and the wheels are turning in their brain where they're just constantly thinking, so I definitely think it did affect us," said the widow.

According to the Post, Floyd had been close to securing additional medical benefits for his family as well as over $600,000 in death benefits at the time of his ouster. While foreign nationals continue to be cared for, his wife and two kids were effectively left with nothing.

"If Derek would have stayed on, he would have had a life insurance policy with the FDNY," said his widow, a guidance counselor with the NYC Department of Education. "That would have helped out financially because right now, it's really bad. I'm honestly swimming in a lot of debt."

The GoFundMe campaign organized on behalf of the Marine's widow and their two children, ages 6 and 2, had already raised over $48,000 at the time of publication.

"He was someone of integrity. His word was his bond. If he said he was going to do something, he was going to do it," Christine Floyd told Newsday. "And his heart beat for our kids."

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said, "We are heartbroken over the passing of former Probationary Firefighter Derek Floyd, and will explore all financial, legal and legislative options to help his family and ensure they have the support they need during this time."

The Post indicated that City Hall did not respond to its request for comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!