School Retires Jersey Of Hero Airman Killed In Iraq Copter Crash

RIVERHEAD, NY — The school where he left a forever legacy has retired the football jersey of hero airman Tech. Sgt. Dashan Briggs, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq in March.

Briggs, 30, was one of four heroes from the NY Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing, located at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, who died in the tragic crash that killed seven airmen.

The Riverhead High School Blue Waves Tech Sgt. Briggs’ No. 22 football jersey was officially retired during a ceremony in his honor this week; he was a beloved 2007 graduate of Riverhead High School.

During the heartfelt proceedings, held on the high school football field, coaches took turns speaking fondly of Briggs.

“When he smiled, the whole world smiled with him,” head football coach Lief Shey said.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aurelia Henriquez said Briggs left a long legacy: “His name will live on forever in Riverhead, and we will make sure no one will ever forget him.”

The last two Riverhead High School jerseys bearing No. 22 were presented to Briggs’ wife, Rebecca. The district also unveiled a display of Briggs’ jersey, which will be permanently installed above the sports box on the football field, the district said.

Briggs’ jersey is the only one to have ever been retired ceremoniously on the Riverhead football field. The high school has retired two other jerseys in the past — those of Derrick Robinson, No. 36, and Henry Franke, No. 50.

Tech Sgt. Briggs, a member of the New York National Guard's 101st Rescue Squadron, 106th Rescue Wing, was a standout football player and member of the lacrosse team, the district said.

Since his death, scores have continued to honor Briggs; Riverhead Town dedicated a street to him, the street where he grew up, in May.

At his March funeral, inside the firehouse in Westhampton Beach, it was standing room only: Briggs' coffin was draped with an American flag; a beautiful American flag created with red, white and blue flowers also stood alongside, a testament to his patriotism, devotion and dedication.

Another spray of flowers featured the heartfelt words, "These things we do, that others may live."

The service began with "The Star Spangled Banner" as the somber crowd stood respectfully.

Lieutenant Colonel Rodney Lisec, HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter pilot from the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard, shared his memories of Briggs, intertwining humor and heart as he told a story about how Briggs, who came to the 106th as an ammunitions specialist, brought a fierce desire to serve coupled with a deeply ingrained work ethic. But there was only one problem — Briggs didn't know how to swim. Undaunted, he took Safety Swim classes with toddlers, never wavering in his dedication.

"Dashan is my brother," he said. His tenacity led to great success; Briggs had accrued the highest number of flying hours and was known for his volunteerism and ever-willingness to lend a hand.
"This was a very selfless man," he said. "Integrity was just a part of his life."

Next, Briggs' high school friend Andre Galarza remembered Dashan as "cool," having a variety of cars including a Range Rover and an El Dorado. The pair remained friends even though they attended different colleges and later, bonded again when they worked together, caring for disabled adults — and sharing an apartment for a time in Bellport.

Smiling, Galarza said his friend always kept his cars immaculate. He, too, referenced Briggs' inability to swim and said he'd once saved him from the ocean.

"I always looked up to him," Galarza said, even more so when Briggs joined the Air Force to serve the nation. "He was a straight up guy, a gentleman, a family guy. Brother, I'll miss you so much."

Galarza said when he heard the news of the crash, he didn't want to believe it could be true, kept praying he'd hear that his lifetime friend had somehow jumped to safety. And then, he said, "I thought of Rebecca and the babies," Briggs' small children Jayden and Ava.

"I didn't know what to do," he said, adding that he then kicked off a GoFundMe, "In Loving Memory of Dashan Briggs," that so far has raised $46,360 of its $47,000 goal. To donate, click here.

The funds, he said, will go a long way toward helping Briggs' family. "Dashan, I'll miss you. I love you, brother," he said.

Eli Briggs, Dashan's grandfather, then spoke movingly, with love and laughter, about the young man who'd illuminated his life.

"He liked to laugh and have fun," Briggs said. His grandson was his fishing buddy, he said, but the pair more often than not ended up towing cars for people whose vehicles had gotten stuck in the sand. In fact, Briggs said, Dashan often teased him about his own truck, urging him to get a newer model.

He thanked Sharon Young and his son Gregory Briggs, Dashan's parents, "for bringing Dashan into my life." He also spoke lovingly to Briggs' widow Rebecca. "Dashan picked a lovely wife," he said.
His grandson, he said, was "a good man, a loving man. Dashan lived the life he wanted to live, and I supported him in that all the way," he said, urging the crowd, "Don't give up on life."

Having lost his own father at just two-and-a-half years old, Briggs vowed that the entire family would join together to help raise the babies his grandson left behind. "He's in our hearts," he said.

Patch photos by Riverhead Central School District.