A street in North Valley Stream was renamed after a fallen ground zero hero from Long Island.

Park Drive South now honors Vincent DeMarino, an NYPD deputy chief, who died of a Sept. 11-related illness in 2020.

His widow, Charlene DeMarino, unveiled the honor.

“He was a hero and I always used to tell him that. He said, 'No, I'm not a hero, I just did it because I cared.' He loved, loved, loved the job," says Charlene DeMarino.

On Sept. 11., the hero raced to the World Trade Center to help as soon as reports of a terror attack came trickling in. He spent several weeks working in the search and recovery effort. In 2019, Vincent died of a brain tumor at the age of 61.

“My father did 27 years in the police department and he said the one single most proud moment of his entire life was responding to 9/11 and the cleanup aftermath of 9/11 and he doesn't have a single regret of ever being down there, even if it caused his illness,” says son Vincent DeMarino Jr. 

All four of DeMarino’s children are now serving as officers with the NYPD.

His daughter Nicole is an NYPD sergeant and tells News 12 her father's heroism on Sept. 11 and its aftermath is a guiding force.

“Every day that inspired me more as I'm on the job to be more like him, more for other people,” says daughter Nicole DeMarino.

Nearly 20 years after the terror attacks, at least 300 NYPD officers have died of exposure to the deadly toxins at ground zero -- and the death toll is rising.

“It also helps remind people not to forget, not to forget not just Vinny but all the people that made the sacrifice that day,” says NYPD Commanding Officer Ruben Beltran.

The DeMarino family says losing Vincent was devastating, but they find comfort and great pride in knowing he died doing what he loved to do.