In a heartwarming turn of events, the children of the late Detective Didarul Islam, who was killed in a mass shooting at 345 Park Ave. this July, were granted educational scholarships. The scholarships were presented on National First Responders Day, in a move to honor the legacy of the fallen NYPD officer.
The NFL, in collaboration with the Folds of Honor Foundation, chose to publicly demonstrate their support for the bereaved family in a significant way. During a gathering inside the 47th Precinct in the Bronx, where Det. Islam was assigned, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear that the children were to realize their dreams, despite the tragedy. In a gesture that was to surely remind the kids of their father's bravery, Goodell personally handed over footballs. However, there was more to the event than mere symbolism—as reported by ABC7NY, "I hope that Detective Islam will be proud of the work we are all doing together today to take care of his family, and know that we're proud of him, and proud of the work that he did," said Goodell.
Roger Goodell's sentiment echoed the Islamic family's own values, with a particular focus on the importance of education. According to ABC7NY, Amrul Hasan, Islam’s brother-in-law, shared how Islam had always emphasized a "good education system for the kids." The scholarships will assure that Det. Islam’s aspiration for his children's education remains intact.
The somber yet uplifting ceremony also shed light on the hardships faced by the family since the tragedy. In heart-rending detail, Kamrul Hasan recounted the struggles of Islam’s eldest son, saying, "His mom asking him to sleep. He says, 'Mom, I'm not gonna sleep because I saw my father. Somebody hurt his stomach. He's bleeding,'" he told CBS News. Meanwhile, Ahyan Islam, one of the detective’s sons, expressed his determination to follow in his father’s footsteps, saying, "When I grow up, and when I'm a police officer, I can't wait to be a detective," as mentioned on ABC7NY.
Det. Didarul Islam's legacy, that of a man who migrated to the U.S. from Bangladesh with the dream of becoming an NYPD officer, was one of dedication and service.
