Street Dedicated for Fallen North Bellmore Marine

With a lone bagpipe sounding in the background and the sun shining brightly in the sky, a crowd gathered Saturday morning at the intersection of Peapond Road and Arthur Lane in North Bellmore as the street was renamed "Corporal Anthony Jimenez Road."  The dedication honored late U.S. Marine and Iraqi war veteran , who died March 23. 

"This is how we weave grief, pain and sorrow into strength, courage and connection," Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla said as he presided over the ceremony. "We owe our military an enormous debt of gratitude. And corporal Anthony Jimenez made a genuine and positive contribution." 

Nearly 100 family members and friends of the late marine walked a block and a half from Jimenez's childhood home on Peapond Road just south of Montgomery Street to the intersection where Jimenez most often played with his friends as a youngster.  

At the family's request, marine veteran Ray Hassett, a member of a Hibernians group from Islip, played the bagpipes before and following the ceremony, including "God Bless America."

Bonilla presented Jimenez's mother, Penny Palmer, with a commemorative replica of the street sign, and then later joined her in the actual unveiling. 

In his introductory remarks, Bonilla explained that Jimenez's mother learned just recently that her son was promoted from lance corporal to corporal posthumously. Jimenez died three days after collapsing in a boxing ring while training as a member of the All-Marine Boxing Team, some months after returning home safely from a tour in Iraq. 

At the street dedication, following Bonilla's remarks and the Pledge of Allegiance, Councilwoman Angie Cullin, Saw Mill Road teacher Lillian Bernstein, North Bellmore Assistant Superintendent for Business Toni Ann Cincotta and family friend Theresa LoGatto-Valenti also spoke.

"Each of us were lucky to be part of his world," said Bernstein, who taught Jimenez as a child and became a mentor to him over the years. She said that those who see this street in the future who did not have the opportunity to know Jimenez, will now know of him.

"The greatest tribute we can give to this young man is to tell his story," Cincotta added. She went on the explain that she recalled Jimenez as a young student at Saw Mill Road school, where Cincotta at the time served as principal, and as an adult more recently "that day not too long ago when a handsome young marine was in my office."  Her voice choking up, Cincotta recounted the visit and said Jimenez maintained "that ever-present enthusiasm for life, the same as when he was a young kid."

Vilenti paid tribute to Jimenez by reading a Linda Ellis poem entitled "The Dash," adding that Jimenez made a great impact during his short years between his birth and death - the dash.

"This is our way of honoring one of our own, a homegrown hero," she said.