After a ridiculously cold winter, the city was finally sizzling again on Memorial Day, and millions of New Yorkers took advantage, flocking to Coney Island and other area beaches and parks.
At Brooklyn Bridge Park, people were enjoying five new acres at Pier 2 devoted to bocce, basketball, kayaking and other sports.
“It’s beautiful and really nice to have something where you can feel like you are out of New York — even with the [looming Manhattan] skyline,” said Oksana Pidhoreckyj, 40, of Cobble Hill.
New Yorkers also paid tribute to our nation’s fallen heroes in ceremonies around town. Among them was Mayor de Blasio, who cited his family’s service during World War II — particularly his father, who lost a leg in the Battle of Okinawa.
“He was so honored to serve his country,” de Blasio said at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
“He served with all his heart . . . And every veteran knows this: He had to fight again to physically rehabilitate. And he had to fight against things that are harder to identify,” the mayor said, referring to his late dad’s struggles after coming home.