A 19-year-old New Hyde Park firefighter was killed in a motorcycle crash as he traveled to an EMT class on Saturday morning.
Zachary J. Fazekas was involved in a single-vehicle crash and ejected from his motorcycle on the ramp from the Loop Parkway onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway, according to the U.S. Fire Administration release announcing the firefighter’s death.
According to the New Hyde Park Herald Courier, the young firefighter was riding his Ducati motorcycle a little after 9 a.m. on Saturday when he failed to navigate a curve and was ejected from the bike. He was on his way to an EMT class in Point Lookout at the time of the accident.
The publication said Fazekas was an only child and is survived by his parents, John and Sara Fazekas. Sara Fazekas said her son was wearing his helmet and had done nothing illegal at the time of the crash. She said she was told he hit a patch of sand hard and was killed instantly.
Fazekas graduated from New Hyde Park Memorial High School in 2017 and was studying at Nassau Community College.
On its Facebook page, the New Hyde Park Fire Department said Fazekas was a gentleman and a true friend “on his way to becoming a GREAT firefighter.”
“We all say that some kids are good kids, but Zach was the definition of that,” the department wrote. "There is truly nothing bad you can say about this kid.”
The department concluded: “Zachary Fazekas, you will be truly missed by all. In your short two years, you've touched and taught us all a valuable life lesson. You died doing what you love. Till we meet again, we love you. We got it from here brother. Rest easy and watch over us all.”
A GoFundMe page was made in Fazeka’s honor to raise funds to help his family.