Friends Raising Funds To Help Family Of Fallen NYPD Hero

WADING RIVER, NY — The community where fallen NYPD Det. Brian Simonsen had deep roots is coming together to care for the family he left behind after he was killed on Feb. 12.

Simonsen, of Calverton, was a 19-year NYPD veteran killed during a robbery at a T-Mobile store in Queens.

A GoFundMe, "Detective Brian Simonsen," was created by Bill Bourguignon in Wading River and has raised $45,195 of its $100,000 goal so far.

"Detective Simonsen was tragically killed by friendly fire when he responded to a robbery in progress in Queens, New York. Brian, 'Smiles,' was an amazing friend who touched everyone who knew him. He was a loving husband, and a dogged detective. He leaves behind his wife Leanne, his mother Linda, and grandfather Vern. We are requesting donations for Brian's family to help relieve financial stress during this extremely difficult time. Please donate to help a hero who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty protecting the people he served."

Simonsen, of Calverton, was a 19-year NYPD veteran killed during a robbery at a T-Mobile store in Queens.

Frigid cold did nothing to deter the thousands who converged upon Hampton Bays last week to pay their respects. They began arriving in the early morning hours — a steady stream of police vehicles, lights flashing, lined all roadways leading into Hampton Bays from all directions and packed the roadways even hours after as the funeral procession brought Simonsen to his final resting place at the Jamesport cemetery.

Along Route 25 in Jamesport and Montauk Hwy. in Hampton Bays, blue and black ribbons were tied around trees in thankful tribute, and American flags waved proudly in the chill morning air.
Buses brought mourners, including a "Blue Waves" bus from Riverhead High School, where Simonsen graduated in 1995.

A sea of volunteers turned out to help during the funeral service, donating food, parking, and spaces for officers to get warm; those who helped included Boy Scouts from Troop 483 in Hampton Bays, the Hampton Bays United Methodist Church, the Hampton Bays Fire Department, and the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corp., that had multiple ambulance units standing by in Hampton Bays for the services; ambulance units from across Suffolk County and beyond also attended.

"Our condolences to family and friends of Brian and our condolences to the family of NYPD," the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corp. said.

And, in addition to an effort organized by Julie Lofstad to raise funds for the blue ribbons placed on trees with the help of the Scouts and others, scores of volunteers helped to clean up Hampton Bays streets in advance of the wake and funeral.

Simonsen was also honored in his hometown of Riverhead — originally from South Jamesport, he graduated from Riverhead High School — and on the North Fork, with ribbons and flags lining the way to the Jamesport Cemetery, where was laid to rest, and scores of friends and loved ones paying tribute.

After his death, police cars from far and wide, as well as firetrucks, lined the roadways and highways on Long Island Wednesday night as a trail of blue tears led a fallen hero home, when Simonsen was brought back to the East End in a cortege to the North Fork's DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.

The heartbroken community has been cloaked in mourning as friends, loved ones and officials remembered "Smiles," a man who dedicated his life to helping others.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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Patch photo courtesy NYPD.