Remembering Town of Hempstead Councilman Chris Carini

If any message was clear at Hempstead Town Councilman Chris Carini’s funeral mass on July 22, it was one that simply said: “He was there.” 

Carini, a champion of quality-of-life initiatives in Hempstead and the 5th Councilmanic District, was laid to rest on Monday, following a mass of Christian Burial at St. William the Abbot Roman Catholic Church in Seaford. The district includes Seaford, Wantagh, parts of Bellmore, Merrick, Freeport, Point Lookout and Lido Beach.

Hundreds of family members, friends, elected officials and community leaders filled the church to pay their respects to Carini, while dozens of police officers from a variety of departments in and around Nassau County ensured that Carini, a retired Port Authority police officer, received the ultimate send off.

The longtime Seaford resident died unexpectedly on July 14 at the age of 49 while visiting family in Florida.

Carini’s body was brought home from Florida last Wednesday, and officers from the Port Authority JFK Commissary, at John F. Kennedy airport in Queens, came together to send him off with love and prayers. Police officers stood on the tarmac as the plane carrying Carini’s body pulled into the gate, and his casket was removed from the plane by officers, while dozens more stood in salute. Back in Nassau County, the Seaford and Wantagh Fire Departments set up an American Flag, which the hearse carrying his body drove underneath.

Monday’s mass followed two days of wake services at the Charles G. Schmitt Funeral Home, also in Seaford.

The Republican councilman was first elected to the Town Board after former Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney dropped out of the race six weeks before the 2019 election. Carini had long been involved with the Wantagh/Seaford Homeowners Association, which often focused on quality-of-life issues. He was re-elected for his second term in Nov. 2023.

In office, Carini spearheaded the town’s Quality of Life Task Force, and was a staunch supporter of law enforcement individuals. He campaigned against bail reform efforts, and directed funding towards the improvements of recreational facilities in his district. At every town event, little league opening day, Eagle Scout or Gold Award ceremony, Carini made it an effort to be present.

And it wasn’t just the job that Carini loved, but his family too. He is survived by his wife, Danielle, and their two children, Ava and Joey.

The Rev. Steven Camp, who led the funeral services for Carini, said his greatest accomplishment and achievement in life was his wife and children.

“He cherished them,” Camp said, “and understood how much family meant.”

The day after Carini’s death, local officials who worked alongside him expressed their sadness. In a statement emailed to the Herald, State Sen. Steve Rhoads described Carini’s energy as “boundless” and his humor “infectious.”

“I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone who was more passionate or took more enjoyment out of helping his neighbors and trying to make his community better than Chris,” Rhoads said.

Town Councilwoman Missy Miller recalled how Carini was often seen with a “coffee in hand” and said he was the “the epitome of the phrase ‘larger than life.’”

“He was passionate and effective,” Miller wrote on Facebook. “He was the best kind of public servant, selfless.”

At Carini’s wake and funeral, Project Thank A Cop, a group that supports police officers and their families, set up a comfort station for mourners. They handed out waters, snacks, baked goods and more, and had therapy dogs on standby, in order to bring comfort to Carini’s family and friends.

Carini worked closely with Project Thank A Cop, and the organization expressed its sadness on social media. “We are so heartbroken,” group administrators wrote on Facebook.

Camp spoke on how Carini was committed to the communities he served, and of course, to the ones that knew him best — his family and friends.

“There’s a lot of turmoil in our society today, and we try to figure it out,” he said. “Chris understood all of that turmoil, and he always tried to do his best.”

Those wishing to donate to Carini's family can do so at GoFund.Me/25067cbb. Carini’s family is also asking that donations be made to the John Theissen Children's Foundation, based in Wantagh, in Carini's memory. Visit JTCF.org to donate. 

Carini was laid to rest at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.