New York City Mayor Denied Opportunity to Speak at Funeral of Fallen Soldier

5 days ago 0

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was reportedly not allowed to speak at the funeral of Army Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad held on Friday in Queens. Rampersad was one of three U.S. service members killed in an attack in Jordan on July 17, allegedly orchestrated by Iran.

Mayor Mamdani attended the service at a church in Ozone Park, but did not deliver his planned remarks to honor Rampersad. Based on reports from the New York Post, although Mamdani reviewed his prepared speech on an iPad, he was not called to speak.

A source familiar with the funeral arrangements informed that Rampersad’s family decided against having Mamdani speak to prevent any “political distractions.”

“It is often said that our fallen ‘gave their tomorrows for our today’,” Mamdani intended to convey in his remarks. “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.”

Rampersad, 28, from Ozone Park, New York, was killed during an enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan. Her service and sacrifice were acknowledged during the funeral by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul among others. Hochul remarked, “I feel after reading and admiring this woman from a distance, I feel like she could be one of my daughters.”

According to the U.S. Department of War, Rampersad served as a 25U Signal Operations Support Specialist in the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

The attack in Jordan also claimed the lives of two other service members, identified as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Carrollton, Texas. These service members were part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Rampersad’s colleagues and commanders recognized her contributions to the mission, highlighting the heroic efforts made during the Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.