Court Cousins, Syosset firefighter and 9/11 responder, dies of cancer

Court Cousins sifted through the rubble at Ground Zero in the days after Sept. 11, 2001. 

Three years after joining the Syosset Fire Department, Cousins was among a cadre of volunteer firefighters from his company to descend on lower Manhattan.

Cousins was known for his public service: He worked 26 years as a firefighter, including after a diagnosis of cancer. Cousins died Tuesday from 9/11-related cancer, the Syosset Fire Department said. He was 53.

Cousins was revered for his bravery and selflessness. But he did not want to be defined by his illnesses, friends and family said.

"He lived the life he wanted on his terms," his wife, Karen, told Newsday.

Cousins grew up in Oyster Bay and graduated from Oyster Bay High School. He joined the Syosset Fire Department in 1998, and met his future wife, Karen Vacchio, at a party in June 2004.

"No introductions were needed," she remembered. "We found each other." The two started dating that summer.

"He loved helping people."

He started his legal career in 2010 after graduating from Hofstra Law School.

Cousins was diagnosed with cancer in March 2010 two weeks before he and his wife learned they were expecting their first child. Andrew was born that December, and is now 13.

Cousins loved Andrew and "was the most loving dad and most loving husband," his wife recalled.

Cousins served as a co-president of the North Syosset Civic Association. He coached Andrew's baseball teams and was a co-president of the Village Elementary School's Parent Teacher Association. Andrew joined the Syosset Fire Department's "Juniors" program.

"He wanted to be involved as much as he could with Andrew," Karen said.

As a civic association leader, Cousins advocated for his neighbors. He could recite sections of town code from memory while helping to resolve their issues, his wife recalled.

Peter Silver, the former chief of the fire department, first met Cousins in February 2001. Months later, the two were at Ground Zero supporting first responders in debris cleanup — a task Silver could only describe as "awful."

From the moment he met Cousins, Silver said he knew his fellow fireman was a "special person."

Cousins was "all about public service," Silver said. He was skilled in responding to fires and "really one of the best medics I’ve ever worked with," he added. 

Cousins was a trained paramedic and received multiple awards for his emergency responses, according to the department.

However, his greatest gift was his selflessness, said Silver. Cousins "didn't want anything in return" for his work, he said.

As Cousins battled cancer, he continued his work with the fire department. 

"He came to our annual meeting six weeks ago," Silver said. "We spoke for about 10 minutes, and not once did he mention his cancer."

Karen said she and her husband "showed up for one another" as Cousins went through repeated treatments. 

"No matter what happened during the course of the past 14 years, he said that he was always just focused on Andrew and I, and that’s what got him through," she recalled.

A service honoring Cousins was held Friday at the Syosset Fire Department. A Mass will be held Saturday at noon at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Syosset.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ