Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good morning. We gather today to mourn and to honor a life given in service to something greater than oneself. Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad answered the call of duty. And in doing so, she made the ultimate sacrifice - a price few are asked to pay, and still, fewer pay with such quiet courage. It is hard to describe the heartbreak that comes with such a loss. I never had the privilege to meet Sergeant Rampersad; but to hear her Aunt Judy say it, she always knew, "exactly what she wanted to do with her life." She enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 21 and lived exactly as she intended - with courage, strength, and love of country. These qualities were evident to all who served alongside her, whether she was stationed in Hawaii, Germany or Jordan.
Yet long before she left for basic training, so many here in Ozone Park already knew Sergeant Rampersad for her remarkable character. She was a warm and steady presence, equally admired for her kindness as for her gifts - as a singer in her church choir, and as an athlete who excelled on both the track and softball field. My heart aches for the many family and friends here today who carry the weight of this loss. Few experience the cost of wars overseas like the loved ones of our nation's service members. It is often said that our fallen "gave their tomorrows for our today." Sergeant Rampersad had tomorrows waiting for her: birthdays, ordinary mornings, evenings spent with her loved ones. But she gave every one of them up so that we could have ours - so that we could stand here today, safe and protected.
While we grieve Sergeant Rampersad's passing, let us pay tribute to that incredible gift she gave us: our freedom. Let her legacy live on in how we exercise that freedom in our own lives. Let us honor her by living with the same courage, humility and commitment. May she rest in peace. Thank you.
