Carolyn McCarthy, a fierce proponent of gun control who represented parts of Long Island in Congress for nearly 20 years, has died.
She was 81.
McCarthy’s death was shared by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and first reported by Newsday.
“Rest in peace, good and faithful servant,” Suozzi wrote.
McCarthy’s husband, Dennis, was killed and her son, Kevin, was seriously wounded in the 1993 LIRR mass shooting that left five other people dead.
The former nurse “channeled her grief and loss into advocacy for change, becoming one of the most dedicated gun violence prevention advocates,” Suozzi said, which led her to Congress where she represented Nassau County’s Fourth District for 18 years.
In a 2018 interview, she recalled the moment when her only child came out of surgery after he was shot in the head.
“I took a deep breath,” she told Newsday at the time. “When I saw Kevin coming out of the operating room, I didn’t even recognize him. When he opened his eyes, I said, and this is the mother talking, not the nurse – ‘I’m going to make sure he survives.’
“And thank God he did.”
The Republican-turned-Democrat helped successfully push for legislation in 2007 that buffed up background checks while tirelessly advocating for other gun control measures before her retirement at the start of 2015.
At the time of her decision to step aside, she was battling lung cancer.
“I always worried about who will speak for the victims,” McCarthy told The Associated Press in 2014 when announcing her impending departure.
“But so many colleagues have started speaking up and are taking an active role that I don’t have to be the only face to talk about gun violence.”
US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called McCarthy “one of New York’s very best.”
“She turned her own personal tragedy into lasting public service, becoming one of the most determined and effective voices for gun safety,” the Brooklyn Democrat said in a statement.
“Her work helped shape federal policy on assault weapons and gun locks, all of it driven by her deep compassion for others and rooted in her years as a nurse.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, called McCarthy a “true leader and a very decent person,” who will be “sorely missed.”
“Sad to hear of the passing of Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy,” Blakeman said in a statement Thursday.
“I recently spoke with her about the 125th anniversary of Nassau County and invited her to attend the county’s gala as an honored guest. Unfortunately she wasn’t feeling up to it but expressed her best wishes and love for Nassau County.”
Rep. Laura Gillen, a first-term Democrat, called McCarthy a “tireless advocate for Long Island.”
“We must honor her legacy by continuing her life’s work to keep our communities and our children safe from the scourge of gun violence,” she said in a statement.
McCarthy was among 20 people to receive the Presidential Citizens Medal last year while former President Joe Biden was still in office.
Her granddaughter, Grace, received the honor on behalf of the retired congresswoman.
