New York City Police Department, New York • Line of Duty Death: March 17, 2020

On March 17, 2020, Transit Manhattan Task Force Police Officer Pedro Garcia passed away due to 9/11 related illness, having served with the NYPD for 25 years. 

Garcia was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York by a very loving family who enjoyed the simple things in life. Throughout his childhood, Garcia’s favorite thing to do was run, no matter the time or weather. 

Garcia loved to help others and was motivated to become a police officer by his desire to effect change in the world. He loved the sense of community and belonging that came with law enforcement and always prospered in his interactions with others. Garcia is described as always having a story to tell. His main goals for his career were to bond with others and first responders. Garcia aspired to get to know the nuances of each individual’s personality, rather than solely focusing on their career. He loved getting to know others on a deeper level and his ability to communicate was like no other. Garcia was assigned to Ground Zero following the tragic events of 9/11 and spent many days on the search and recovery efforts, which unfortunately led to his 9/11-related illness. 

Garcia and his wife, Yvonne, first met on Broad Channel platform train station. They brought their sons into the world and instilled in them that they should never take anything in life for granted. Garcia and Yvonne believe that they were brought into each other’s lives for a reason and Yvonne is so proud of the time she had with her loving husband. Yvonne is immensely grateful for Tunnel to Towers’ continuous support. She describes it as a blessing. 

NYPD Officer Pedro Garcia is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and his children. Yvonne would like to extend her gratitude to her brother, Raymond, for his love and support during trying times.