Sea of blue pays tribute to fallen NYPD Officer Tsakos as wake is held in Greenlawn

Tsakos' wake is Monday at St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in Greenlawn. His funeral is being held there Tuesday.

News 12 Staff

May 3, 2021, 2:21 PM

Updated 1,332 days ago

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Family, friends and fellow officers said their final goodbyes Monday to a fallen NYPD officer from Suffolk.
Anastasios Tsakos was killed last month while redirecting traffic from the scene of a fatal collision in Queens.
Police say the driver, Jessica Beauvais, 32, of Hempstead, was drunk and high behind the wheel, and was driving with a suspended license.
Tsakos' wake was held at St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in Greenlawn. People stood in line all day to pay their respects and hundreds escorted the officer's body to the church.
Kelly Fokianos, of East Northport, says her husband worked with Officer Tsakos.
"Our children are close to the same age," says Fokianos. "We live in the same neighborhood and it's just very hard for everyone -- the community, the NYPD, for all police officers because they put their lives on the line every day."
Lt. John Pappas says the department is going to try to fill the void for his kids, who are ages 6 and 3, and for his wife and parents. Pappas says Tsakos should be remembered for all the good that he did over his 14 years as an officer.
His funeral will be held at the same church on Tuesday.
Police are warning drivers to avoid the area. Pulaski Road will be closed Tuesday between Broadway and Stony Hollow Road from 7:30 a.m. until about 1 p.m.