Fallen U.S. Army Medic Remembered With Memorial Near LI Hometown

ROCKY POINT, NY — Fallen U.S. Army medic PFC Joseph Dwyer from Long Island was remembered this week — on the 13th anniversary of his death — at the unveiling of a memorial statue that recreates the moment captured in an iconic Army Times photo rescuing an injured Iraqi boy in 2003.

Dwyer, who grew up in Mount Sinai, died from an overdose in a battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in 2008, and his tragic story quickly became associated with the disease, drawing attention to the lingering psychological effects of war. The statue, which was created by Alan E. Fricke Memorials, has been dedicated as the centerpiece of Veterans Memorial Park in Rocky Point.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6249 in Rocky Point commissioned the statue using $65,000 in state Dormitory Authority funding that was earmarked by former state Sen. Kenneth LaValle after he left office.

“Joseph Dwyer is truly a local hero,” said Joseph Cognitore, commander of the VFW Post. “His statue, and more importantly, what he stood for will stand in Rocky Point for others to see and better understand his achievements for years to come.”

Supervisor Ed Romaine Romaine said Dwyer was “a dedicated soldier whose compassion for those in need is clearly depicted in this memorial.”

“Honoring those who served our country is the right thing to do and I was proud to be a part of this very special occasion,” he said.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner called it “very gratifying to honor” Dwyer and “recognize the sacrifices he made in the name of freedom.”

“His struggle with PTSD has helped to bring this debilitating condition out of the shadows and into the light,” she said.

The statue is not the only honor for Dwyer.

The street where he grew up is named after him and a peer-to-peer support program was launched in Suffolk County in 2013 to help other veterans battling the same psychological demons. The program now operates across 25 counties in New York, according to U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin’s office.

In a Facebook post, Zeldin, who has introduced legislation that will expand the program at the national level, called it fitting that PTSD Awareness Day came on June 27, just one day after the statue honoring Dwyer was unveiled, and noted that the [Veterans Administration] estimates nearly 20 veterans kill themselves each day, saying it is “often as a result of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

“This PTSD Awareness Day, it's critical we honor the memories of all veterans like PFC Dwyer who lost their lives to PTSD and continue spreading the word about available options to overcome the invisible wounds of war,” he said.