Stony Brook Family Honors Presidential Medal of Freedom Winner; Raises Funds for Lung Cancer

Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee James Riordan was a lot of things: father, grandfather, engineer and American Hero. His name may not ring as familiar as his contemporaries and friends, Neal Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and John Glenn, but he helped to make their stories – and the American narrative on space discovery - possible from his desk here in New York.

“He was a dedicated father and grandfather, and he always had a helping hand or a kind word for anyone that crossed his path,” said his son Robert Riordan, from Stony Brook. “He was the sort of man that became a hero to everyone that knew him – even without the Medal of Freedom.”

Riordan, a native Long Islander who lived in Bethpage, made his career at Grumman as an aerospace engineer. His skill, along with his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, helped him climb the ladder at Grumman until he became a key part of the infamous Apollo 13 mission, helping to direct a team on the construction of the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM).

Following the safe return of the Apollo 13 astronauts, he landed in front of President Nixon to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1970. While the President and the nation recognized him as a hero that day, his family had already long considered him an inspiration and role model.

Riordan was so inspiring in fact, that following his long battle with emphysema, COPD and lung cancer, his family decided to turn their grief into a celebration of his life. Now they are expanding his legacy in a way that honors his memory: by helping others and raising funds and awareness for the American Lung Association during the Fight for Air Climb, New York City.

“Participating in the Fight for Air Climb not only helps our family remember a loving, smart, kind man that we looked up to, but it helps us remind the world of a man that was in fact a national treasure,” said 22 year old granddaughter and captain of Team Apollo, Jessica Frisina. “It gives us a chance to shine a little light on his story, while actively helping others that are struggling with lung disease. I’d like to think that he’d be proud of the work we are doing with the American Lung Association.”

Riordan is one of more than 150,000 Americans who died of lung cancer in 2016. This year will be his family’s second year climbing in his memory.

"James Riordan may have become an American hero when he brought our astronauts home from space - but we will also remember him for his fight against lung cancer, and his family's continued dedication to climb on and help others in his name," said Jeff Seyler, CEO and President of the American Lung Association of the Northeast. “Lung cancer has already taken too many of our heroes and loved ones, and we are especially grateful to James’s family and the families of so many others that have chosen to join us in the Fight For Air and help us create a world free of lung disease.”

“His fingerprints are on the moon. If we can’t get all the way there to honor him, then we’ll settle for the top of One Penn Plaza, if it means we can help save another family from losing their hero,” said Jessica.

The members of Team Apollo joined over 600 others on April 1, 2017 for the American Lung Association of the Northeast’s 7th Annual Fight For Air Climb New York City. Participants walked or ran up 55 floors of stairs, or 1,210 steps, to the top of One Penn Plaza. The event raised nearly $250,000 for lung disease research, advocacy and education.

Lung Cancer is the number one cancer killer of men and women in United States. The Fight for Air Climb New York is one a series of signature fundraising events of the American Lung Association, held in prominent skyscrapers across the country. Fight for Air climbs attract both elite athletes and novice stair climbers. Participants can choose to race, run, or walk up the stairs. All proceeds from the Fight For Air Climb will directly fund lung disease research, advocacy and education; including smoking cessation programs, COPD/asthma management, and advocacy for stronger clean air standards.