Retired NYPD Couple To Host 9/11 Memorial in Queens Village

NEW YORK CITY — On Sunday, Sept. 11, a retired NYPD couple will host an outdoor candlelight vigil in honor of their grandson, Mayson, 4, who died before Covid-19 and victims of 9/11 who died 21 years ago at the World Trade Center in Manhattan, especially FDNY members of Brooklyn’s Engine 205/Ladder 118, who perished on a search and rescue mission.

The vigil will be held at 88-01 208 St., on the corner of Hillside Ave., in Queens Village, according to Sgt. Winston Bailey and P.O. Elaine Bailey. All people are welcome to attend the memorial, which will be from 7 to 9 p.m.

“Because of Covid-19, we couldn’t mourn our grandson,” said Elaine Bailey, whose grandson had drowned. She will be holding a picture of Mayson at the memorial.

During the height of the pandemic there were caps on how many people could attend funerals.

Not only will the couple commemorate their grandson, but acquaintances of theirs from the rig of Ladder 118, who a decade before the attacks on the World Trade Center would let their son, Winston Jr., play fireman at the station with a red plastic fireman hat.

“It’s been like over 20 years, but it feels like it was yesterday,” the police officer told Patch. “They died helping people.”

During the attacks on the WTC, six firemen of Ladder 118 went toward the burning Twin Towers, and all died that day, according to the sergeant, who worked at a precinct across from the Brooklyn Heights fire engine.

“My son at that time was young,” said the retired sergeant. “They gave us a tour of that firehouse and it just so happens that the men on that fire truck died on 9/11. I pray for them. I still pray for them.”

Sgt. Bailey, who was in his early 40s during the attacks and was healthy, had a heart attack in 2006. He believes the heart attack was connected to the toxic environment of Ground Zero. The New York Heart Bill was what allowed him to retire on disability.

He was at the 7 World Trade Center, the often less talked about third building, which was also attacked on Sept. 11.

“I was in front of the building when it went down,” the sergeant told Patch. “I remember that it went down directly in front of me. I remember running from the ash clouds that were coming my way.”

Bailey said he escaped the ash by ducking into a lobby of another building nearby.

“When I was going home, from what is now called Ground Zero, I knew there were at least a thousand people who died in that rubble,” Bailey said. “You can’t imagine seeing something like that. Surreal is the word for it.”

Bailey said he felt like he was in hell.

“There was also the Vista Hotel, which was a part of the World Trade Center complex,” recalled Bailey. “It was a 23-story hotel!”

Bailey did not go back to Ground Zero after the shock of that terrible day.

“I’m glad that I was able to get back to my wife with as little damage to my body,” said Bailey after running away from the rubble. “All the people who went back to volunteer [for search and rescue at Ground Zero] didn’t have adequate equipment and they all got really sick.”

Elaine, who didn’t hear back from her husband for hours, was happy that he made it back to her.

Her husband came back sometime later that night or early the next morning, according to the couple.

“I thank God my husband is here,” said the retired police officer. “He often says the real heroes aren’t here. We have a lot to be grateful for.”

When she did hear from him, she broke down and cried and just held him.

“I did not think he was going to make it back to tell you the truth,” she added. “When he came home, he had shards of glass in his uniform … I was speechless.”

A shard of glass will be displayed at the memorial.

“It was a traumatic day,” Elaine added. “We are going to be having this vigil every year.”