A long, blue line of police officers from across the tri-state region circled Sacred Heart Church and Whalen and Ball Funeral Home in Yonkers on Dec. 7 as the City of Yonkers said its final goodbye to Police Sgt. Frank Gualdino.
On December 1st, 2022, Sergeant Frank Gualdino, a 24-year veteran of the Yonkers Police Department, and supervisor in the Traffic Unit, was tragically killed in a head on collision. Sergeant Gualdino was on-duty and driving his unmarked vehicle on Tuckahoe Road when an unlicensed 16-year old driver crossed into the opposite lanes at a high rate of speed and struck his vehicle.
Among the outpouring of love and sadness for Gualidno was this from Caitlin “Today, the Yonkers Police Department will lay to rest a hero, a husband, a father, a son, an uncle, a brother, both blood and blue. Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino served his community for over 24 years and was just months from retirement. His loss is tragic and unimaginable, just weeks before Christmas.
“Throughout their careers, most officers will come face to face with evil in ways us ordinary citizens cannot even fathom, perhaps none quite as unsuspecting as a 16 year old, unlicensed driver who took Frank Gualdino from his wife, children, loved ones, and department far too soon. The nature of his passing may seem almost ordinary, or commonplace, the type of “accident” we hear about too often; his call to service, on the other hand, unique and exceptional. Frank Gualdino is a hero in every sense of the word, a man who left his own family each day to protect and serve the members of his community, fully knowing the risks associated with his calling.”
Other comments included, “ If you were lucky enough to know Frank, you’d know what a kind and thoughtful man he was. Frank was a long-time union representative and someone you could go to for advice, and a great source of knowledge for a new trustee. Whenever there was someone in need, Frank was the first person to volunteer to help….Frank wasn’t looking for accolades. He was just doing good.
Another comment- Frank always had our backs and helped me out a few times as the 1st cop on scene when I needed it. Some cultures have a celebration when someone passes to celebrate their life lived and show gratitude for the joy they gave to us. Others like ours mourn. Frank, I can’t believe your gone. Rest in Peace.
Mayor Mike Spano said, “Today, we paid tribute to Detective Sergeant Frank Gualdino, a 24-year veteran of the Yonkers Police Department. Thank you to all agencies, near and far, who came in support of their fellow officers in blue. Sgt. Frank Gualdino was a cop’s cop and the epitome of Yonkers Finest. Yonkers is a close tight-knit community and when we lose one member of our law enforcement community, we all feel a sense of grief. Frank is someone we all knew and loved. He was a friend and a family man — the best of all us and the best of Yonkers.”
Just last month, Sgt. Gauldino was commended when he came to aid of a 3 year old who became unconscious at a funeral.
A Help a Hero Account has been set up in Sg. Gauldino’s name at the following link:https://helpahero.com/campaign/help-the-family-of-ypd-sgt-frank-gualdino?fbclid=IwAR13pVXDg86shdKHfXIVbQyMqtYPTtY9uEcTAG2VrpILXsd1iNEVRLY94RA.
A video released by the YPD shows the driver of the BMW losing control after driving at a speed of 80 MPH on a 30 MPH part of Tuckahoe Road at the bridge crossing the Sprain Parkway. Very little information has been released about the 16-year old driver of the BMW, who survived the accident but is in stable condition.
Several Yonkers residents want answers.“But he killed a responsible human being, an important member and a pillar of our community, and this jerk knocked out a pillar, devastating their family. If he recovers and after we bear the millions of dollars cost of repairing and then rehabbing this teen, saying “Sorry” will never be enough. Did he have, or does he need, his father’s permission to drive the car? Is the father culpable?”
