Sergeant Michael Kurinzi - Elizabeth Police Dept. - NJ - True Life Hero

Michael Kurinzi ("Zini")
- Jan. 27, 2024 -

(31110)

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Elizabeth Police Dept. Patch

Resided:	NJ, USA
Born:	Unk
Fallen:	Jan. 27, 2024
Race/Sex:	Caucasian Male / 51 yrs. of age
	Agency
Dept:	Elizabeth Police Dept. - NJ 1 Police Plaza Elizabeth, NJ 07201 USA (908)558-2000
County:	Union
Dept. Type:	Municipal/Police
Hero's Rank:	Sergeant
Sworn Date:	Unk
FBI Class:	Homicide - Terrorism
Weapon Class:	Biological
Agency URL:	Click Here
On The Job:	20 years

Bio: Mike and Debbie moved to Myrtle Beach in 2016, and have built a beautiful life here. Originally from Elizabeth, NJ, Mike previously resided in Toms River, NJ for several years. Mike enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17. He was the Kilo Company Iron Man and 3rd Battalion Honor Graduate at MCRD Parris Island. He had deployed on several training and operational missions including Operation Desert Storm. Upon leaving the service, Mike served for over 20 years with the Elizabeth, NJ Police Dept. and for five years with the Iselin Fire Dept. District #9 in Woodbridge, NJ. While he was with the Police Dept., he served in many different capacities including on several Federal, State and County Task Forces, as well as a 9/11 responder. He was cited by his Agency and others for excellence over fifty times, for Valor six times, including induction into the NJ State Honor Legion and the Union County 200 Club. He retired as a Sergeant in the Detective Bureau in 2014.

Mike had a great love of American Motorcycles and proud to be a biker. He was a lifelong adventurer. He was an accomplished marathon runner, triathlete, cyclist, adventure race participant, and private pilot. He loved working out and salt water fishing. Following the death of his son Brian in 2017, Mike and Debbie worked tirelessly with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Nationally, at the State level and here locally. They served as Myrtle Beach Out of Darkness Walk Chairs for two years. For years, Mike and Debbie have been traveling this great country seeing all of its splendors and wonders together. He was a parishioner at St. Michael RC Church Garden City, and a member of the Cresswind Veterans Organization, having served on its honor guard for several years.

Survived by:

Wife
& son, and daughter

Fatal Incident Summary

Offender:	No Info
Summary:	Sergeant Mike Kurinzi died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. ==================================================================== On the morning of September 11th, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved. As the evacuation continued, the South Tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The North Tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-one law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site. A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash. The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon on 9/11. The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan. On September 9th, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11th, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers. On May 1st, 2011 members of the United States military conducted a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden.
Source:	Website Click
Source:	Obit Click

Last Updated: Feb. 06, 2024