NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – At a funeral for an NYPD recruit who died days before his scheduled graduation, loved ones remembered the 33-year-old as a determined and loving man who wanted to be a "hero" for his young children.
Edgar Ordonez, 33, died on July 10 after having a medical episode at a department training facility in the Bronx, according to the NYPD. He was memorialized Thursday at a funeral at a church in the Bronx.
Department leaders described Ordonez, who grew up in Harlem and the Bronx, as a positive force determined to make a difference in the NYPD. Deputy Chief Amir Yakatally read a piece of Ordonez's writing describing why he wanted to be a cop.
"Throughout my whole life I never really had role models or had many strong influences," Ordonez wrote. "But I knew that I always wanted to help and serve good."
Ordonez had written that observing events like 9/11, war and police brutality had all inspired him to become an officer. But no influence was stronger than his twin children.
"When I became a father, I knew that it was no longer about me, it was about them," Ordonez wrote. "I just hope day I will make them proud."
A representative of Ordonez's family described him as a "jokester" who could make anyone laugh. He was dependable and strong for his family and dreamed of being a cop since he was a child.
Mayor Eric Adams spoke at Ordonez's funeral, addressing his family directly.
"You lost the son but you have picked up a family," Adams said.
Ordonez is an example of the American dream, a young man from Honduras with two children who decided to become an officer, Adams said.
"We are burying today an ambassador that comes in the spirit of those officers who represented their countries and decided to take upon the awesome responsibility of protecting our city,” Adams said. "To the family of Edgar: your son was an ambassador. He represented the greatness of Honduras, he represents what you wanted in a child."
Adams reiterated what officials have already said -- that Ordonez was a beacon of light who was always smiling.
St. Anselm's School in the Bronx, where Ordonez went to school, offered his two children a scholarship.
Ordonez’s recently graduated recruit class will attend the funeral, according to police.
