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Remembering a Hero; Remembering a Hawk
We pray for his family and friends, especially his wife and children, during this time. He was taken from us much too soon, and for that, we grieve, as friends, colleagues, or simply, as Brother Hawks. I did not know Marc, but every story I was told about him brought a smile to the teller’s face, despite the sadness and grief all felt at such a loss. It made me feel like I did know Marc. And, in a way, I guess I did. He was a Jersey City boy, fiercely loyal to his family and friends. He came to Hudson Catholic, and that loyalty and devotion spread to the school and its students, faculty, and staff. When Marc became a police officer, like his father before him, and like so many fine men who have passed through the halls of Hudson Catholic, his fellow officers discovered his fierce loyalty to them, to the J.C.P.D., and to the people he was entrusted to serve and protect. Many fellow Hawks have followed the same career path as Marc; many have proudly served as police officers; many proudly continue to serve; some were lucky enough to serve alongside their Brother Hawk, Marc DiNardo. They continue to answer the call every day, putting the safety of the people of Jersey City above their own safety. This is exactly what Marc did every day he was a cop. And when he made the ultimate sacrifice, his Brother Hawks, along with his family, friends, fellow officers, and the Jersey City community paid him a fitting tribute by joining together to lay him to rest at a funeral for more than a king, at a funeral for a true hero. Several classmates and teachers shared their remembrances of Marc when this tragedy occurred. Their words are more fitting than anything I can say, so I am including them here. We, the Hudson Catholic family, are encouraging people to support the memorial fund set up in Marc’s memory. Donations can be sent to: The Marc Anthony DiNardo Memorial Fund Brian Slattery Memories of Marc Wherever Marc was, there was always a crowd around him. People were drawn to Marc’s spirit, enthusiasm, and outgoing personality. He always had a big smile on his face...that smile made the rest of us smile. Marc DiNardo was a fine, extremely well-liked individual. His great sense of humor and high level of school spirit made him a pleasure to have in class. Marc’s dedication to his family, his community, and his alma mater is indicative of his Hudson Catholic Hawk Spirit. Marc possessed the great talent of comic relief. His quick and witty personality allowed him to befriend many in school and professional life. His signature line of ‘How you doing, handsome?’ will forever be embodied in our memory. From his first days as a freshman at Hudson Catholic, I knew Marc was going to be a young man I would never forget. Already a people person, his enthusiasm, humor, and keen powers of observation previewed his later growth as a police officer and good family man. When I talked to him over the years, I fondly recalled the energetic high school student who was now a valued leader in our Jersey City community. Marc’s smile could move mountains. It got me through those rough high school years. Marc DiNardo was a man of much courage, a man much loved, and a man taken from us much too soon. His death reminds us how much we all owe to our police and firefighters. For all of us from the graduating class of 1989, He was Marc Anthony DiNardo. To everyone else who didn't know him, believe me, you DID know him! He was "That guy..." He was the one that is in all of our stories as that guy who did this and said that. He was the one that automatically had everyone's attention when he walked into a classroom because you always wanted to see what this character was going to do or say. Sometimes even, what he was going to wear. He was always quick with a joke. Very witty, that guy! He definitely walked to the beat of a different drummer. In Saint Peter's, it was the same thing, which was good for me, because in a new school, at a new stage in my life, I had something familiar with me. (1985) I walk into a wooden trailer called a locker room at the old Pershing Field Hockey Rink. I'm confronted by a red cheeked, messy, long-haired kid who tells me "look, this ain't south mountain, rich kid hockey; it's Jersey City hockey, kid." That's the beginning of my friendship with Marc.
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The Hudson Catholic family suffered a great loss, when a brave and true son, Officer Marc Anthony DiNardo, was killed in the line of duty. We join with his family, his friends, his fellow officers, and the entire Jersey City family in the sorrow and grief of such a tragedy.