Bridge in Yorktown Named for ‘An American Hero’
Family, friends and local officials gathered together Saturday morning to honor a Yorktown resident who died five years ago in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Hunterbrook Bridge on Route 129 that crosses over the Croton Reservoir was renamed the Army Specialist David R. Fahey, Jr. Memorial Bridge fittingly on Armed Forces Day for the 23-year-old soldier who had enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2007 to gain training and experience for his ultimate career goal of being a police officer.
Instead, Fahey was killed on February 28, 2011 when a bomb exploded underneath the Humvee he was driving.
“He was a true American hero that we should all be proud of and emulate,” said State Senator Terrence Murphy (R/Yorktown), who spearheaded the effort to get the Department of Transportation to name the bridge in Fahey’s honor. “This is something extremely special that we’re here for today. It’s an absolute honor and a privilege. This is what community is about to honor one of our own.”
The ceremony began with a procession across the bridge, led by local bagpiper Joe Brady and members of the Fahey family, including Fran and Tom Fahey, David’s aunt and uncle, who adopted him when he was 10 and raised him on nearby Baldwin Road.
“I know today David is looking down on us and smiling,” said Fahey’s brother, Tyler. “Me and my family are all thankful for the community around us. You have really helped us a lot.”
Yorktown Supervisor Michael Grace said there was no greater sacrifice a person can make than sacrificing their life for others.
“This becomes our little token of gratitude for David’s sacrifice and the family’s sacrifice,” Grace said. “We pray God continues to keep David close in his arms forever.”
A plaque and a tree for Fahey was dedicated a few years ago at Memorial Garden behind Yorktown Town Hall. Described by friends and family as a person with a quick wit and a smile that lit up a room, Fahey loved cars and sports and was a parishioner of Calvary Bible Church in Yorktown.
He received several medals and ribbons during his service with the Army and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
