Take pride, New York.
Your unrivaled generosity — and deep devotion to those who put their lives on the line to protect a great city — are legendary.
No surprise, then, that donations to the Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund reached $2,076,065 yesterday.
This speaks volumes about the value New Yorkers place on the lives of their police officers — and the family members of those who make the ultimate sacrifice.
Last month, Officer Peter Figoski, sadly, was among those who have paid that price. He was fatally shot while responding to a home invasion in Brooklyn.
The New York Post and the New York City Police Foundation launched the fund to ensure that his four daughters — Christine, 19, an undergrad at SUNY Oneonta; Caitlyn, 18, a SUNY Plattsburgh undergrad; and Caroline, 16, and Corinne, 14, high-school students in West Babylon, LI — could pay for their higher education.
New Yorkers came through.
Just yesterday, for example, Fairway Market held a special fund-raiser, donating 10 percent of all sales between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. at three of its stores — in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Douglaston, Queens, and Plainview, LI.
The proceeds helped push the fund well past the $2 million mark — an achievement that should make every New Yorker proud to stand up and say so.
The Post is certainly proud to have partnered with the Police Foundation to make this milestone a reality for the girls.
And we’re delighted that so many New Yorkers opened their hearts and gave what they could on behalf of this worthy cause.
New Yorkers know that an attack on a New York City police officer is, at bottom, an attack on the rule of law itself — indeed, upon civilization.
It wasn’t all that long ago that New Yorkers had real reason to wonder whether the social contract would hold.
Nobody wants to walk that path again — but if it were not for brave officers like Figoski, there would be no alternative.
The stunning success of the Peter Figoski Scholarship Fund underscores the fundamental decency of New Yorkers.
We only hope it provides his daughters a measure of comfort — and conveys New York’s sincere appreciation for their dad’s profound sacrifice.