Memorial Mass for slain NYPD officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora one year after the fatal shootings

All the emotions at Saturday's memorial Mass for two slain NYPD officers came together in one moment: When the widow of Officer Jason Rivera announced she was expecting the couple's baby this spring.

A wave of cheers and applause rose from the hundreds gathered at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, building to a standing ovation that left Dominique Rivera wiping away a tear.

"I am blessed to say that Jason and I will be expecting our miracle this spring," Rivera said. "Although Jason won't be here in physical form to see and experience our miracle, I know he will always be here in spirit, watching, protecting and loving us."

The Mass honoring the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Rivera and Officer Wilbert Mora had all the elements of services for fallen first responders: Church pews filled with fellow officers in dress blue uniforms, speeches by the mayor and police brass, and the communal need to acknowledge the loss of two public servants who sacrificed, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, the last full measure of devotion.

Mayor Eric Adams ascended to the podium of the cavernous church, looked to the first rows of family and loved ones of the two officers, and said, "We grieve with you today."

He spoke of his own son, Jordan Coleman, now 27, and how he could not imagine the pain of losing him.

Rivera, 22, and Mora, 27, had responded to a woman’s 911 call seeking help dealing with her son on Jan. 21, 2022, according to the NYPD. After speaking with the woman and another son, Mora and Rivera made their way down a narrow hallway to a rear bedroom to talk with the man. The man, Lashawn McNeil, 47, opened fire, striking the two cops. A third officer then shot McNeil, who died days later.

Posthumous promotions

Both Rivera, who died that night, and Mora, who died days later, were promoted to detective first grade posthumously.

Adams said, "We are committed to do everything possible so we do not lose young people in this manner."

Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell extolled the bravery of the two officers on that "bitter January night."

"We carry the legacy of Jason and Wilbert," Sewell said. "We muscle forward with heavy hearts … It is the vow, the duty, the responsibility, the creed of the NYPD to ensure future generations of cops know the meaning of service over self."

Karina Mora, the sister of Wilbert, delivered her comments in Spanish.

“We lost a wonderful, loving and responsible” man, Mora said. “He was a young man with a simple and beautiful heart.”

She said she hopes that the families of other officers will never have to endure the pain of losing a loved one. She urged police officials to do all they could to prevent another tragedy like this.

“Wilbert, we will love you always,” Mora said.

Memories at all hours

It was Dominique Rivera who brought the past year into stark relief. She said she lost her husband who was her best friend — but she also lost herself and questioned her faith, she said.

"There are days when, even though I'm surrounded by love and caring, I still feel alone," Rivera said. "I feel like I'm walking through a dark tunnel with no direction on which way to go."

Memories come at all hours, she said. The cold feeling of her husband's face "the last time I caressed it," her improbable hope that he would wake from his casket, the dreams the couple had of "soaking up the love that newlyweds feel."

These days, she said, she is relearning to trust God.

"One of the things I’m learning is that God works in mysterious ways. Through sorrow and pain there can also be a rebirth," she said.

Then, addressing her unborn child, Rivera said, "As a family, we will never forget to honor Jason's legacy of service and ultimate sacrifice."

By Craig Schneider

craig.schneider@newsday.comScraigo

Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.