Retired NYPD officer collapses, dies shoveling snow for churchgoers during devastating Northeast winter storm

A New York community is mourning the death of a retired NYPD officer who died after reportedly suffering a heart attack while shoveling snow during last weekend’s major winter storm. 

Roger McGovern, a 60-year-old retired NYPD sergeant, collapsed while shoveling at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park, Long Island on Sunday, according to ABC 7. 

“They said that he was at church and he had a seizure [and] by the time he got to the hospital, he passed,” friend Kevin Troy told the outlet. 

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McGovern had walked a mile in the bitter cold to clear pathways for parishioners to attend Sunday mass at the same church where he served as an usher and member of the Knights of Columbus, CBS 2 reported.

“He had spoken to the priest and said that he was going to go out and shovel the sidewalk for the parishioners so they could get in and before he started shoveling he had collapsed,” Troy said.

Tragically, McGovern suffered a heart attack while shoveling, according to CBS 2. 

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“After a career spent in service to this city, Sergeant McGovern passed away while helping his community during the recent snowstorm. His dedication to others did not end with his retirement,” the Sergeants Benevolent Association said in a social media post. 

McGovern retired from the NYPD in 2008, the department confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

Our Lady of Victory Church did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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The frigid weekend left behind a path of devastation, with New York City officials reporting eight deaths stemming from the cold temperatures that resulted in 8 to 15 inches of snow in some neighborhoods, according to FOX 8. 

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As of Tuesday, 36 deaths across 14 states have been attributed to the winter storm that pummeled the Northeast over the weekend.