Office Of The Mayor Of New York City: Transcript: Mayor De Blasio Delivers Remarks At The Street Co-Naming In Honor Of Andreas Stylianou

Press release from Office of the Mayor of New York City:

November 17, 2021

Video available at: https://youtu.be/9uEX3mME_VE

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Well, I know where Andreas is. He’s in a good place. He's in a good place because he was such a good man, everybody. For all of us, from this part of Brooklyn, a lot of people in this neighborhood knew Andreas. And if you knew him, you loved him. You really loved him, such a good heart, such a warm person, such a wise man. I spent many a day, I would come in, whatever was wrong with my 1999 Ford Taurus Station Wagon, he would make fun of me for having a 1999 Ford Taurus Station Wagon. And then, we would end up having a long talk, and it wasn't about the car, it was about life. It was about family. And he loved this family so deeply. I want to thank all the family members of Andreas. Thank you. And all the family members who out of their love work to make sure this day would happen where he would be remembered forever by this whole community.

But what I loved was his wisdom. I loved the way he talked about life. He talked about his beloved Cyprus and his family, and he just was a man who really had a great code, a great way of living life. He was good to all the people who worked for him. He was good to his customers. He was good to everyone. And it made you feel, just when I was in his presence, I always felt like everything's going to work out because he was that kind of guy who had a great sense of humor. He was no fan of bureaucracy. Let me let you know that.

[Laughter]

He would tell me every time the City of New York did anything wrong and he had plenty of examples.

[Laughter]

But he also had a kind of worldly, wise, we're going to work this out, we're going to find the way attitude. And I really love this guy. And I – when I heard that very horrible day he was gone, and it made no sense to me. A guy so full of life, so vibrant in every way. I don't know why it seems we always lose the best amongst us, but it does feel that way a lot.

And, again, this little part of the world, he made so good for all of us. We love this family. Like people he met, he did right by. The idea that someone so good is lost in a hit and run crash pains me and angers me. It angers me that any human being could be so reckless towards another person, could cause such harm to a family. We – for eight years, we've been fighting to change that there's much, much more to do. But I would say to you, anyone who says to you that we shouldn't change these things, anyone says something like Vision Zero doesn't matter, talk to this family and so many other families who have suffered. It does matter. We have to change things. A car in the wrong hands is dangerous and we’ve got to keep changing our laws and the way we do things to save lives.

But today, we feel lost. But we also – we’ve got to find in every one of us the inspiration of a good man. And he used to tell me about the people who are lost in Cyprus, in the war. He told me about the people who never made it home. He told me about the people that never got to come to New York City, never got to come to America. And as pained as we are today, I am so glad he got here to be with us for the time he was here, because he made lives better for everyone. And also, he is such a beautiful example of this dream that is New York City and this dream that is America. Came with all his talents and his heart, he built something wonderful. So many people benefited in so many ways because he was here. And this city embraced him, his abilities, his mind, and he did great things.

So, we miss him, but let's really cherish the good in this man. Let's carry it in us. Let's try and be like him. Every time you see that sign, ask yourself a question that day, are you being as good as Andreas Stylianou? Are you being as kind? Do you have a warm of a smile on your face? Strive to be as good as him. Thank you and God bless you all.

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This press release was produced by Office of the Mayor of New York City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.