NYPD promotions ceremony honors 2 children of officers who were killed in the line of duty

NEW YORK - In an emotional ceremony on Friday, the NYPD celebrated the promotions of some of the finest members of the force, including two officers whose fathers died in the line of duty.

For once-Lieutenant, now-Captain Conor McDonald, the promotion is another way to honor his father's legacy.

McDonald's father was hero NYPD Officer Steven McDonald, who was shot and paralyzed in the line of duty in 1986. Officer McDonald passed away in 2017.

"My dad suffered through a lot of pain, being shot three times and stuck to a respirator for 30 and a half years, unable to move," Captain McDonald told FOX 5 NY. "So, I witnessed his pain and suffering, but also his love for this job, which always motivated me."

Conor's mother, Patti-Ann, was initially concerned when her son told her he wanted to be a cop like his father. 

"It wasn't a path that I would have chosen for him, but it was a path that he chose. and I'm very proud of him," she said.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Francesca Mosomillo was promoted to detective. She also has a deep connection to the force, through her father, Officer Anthony Mosomillo, who was killed in the line of duty in 1998.

Following in her father's footsteps, Detective Mosomillo sees her new role as a calling. 

"I was really young when my dad passed away, so it helped with, like, my connection and maybe it's my calling, for sure," Detective Mosomillo said. 

The ceremony also recognized Detective First Grade Rob Rodriguez, one of the hero rescuers during the "Miracle on the Hudson" in 2009.

"What defined the 'Miracle on the Hudson' was the way the city, not just the NYPD, but the way the city got together that day and made a collective effort to save 155 lives," Rodriguez said.