Firefighter John Heffernan (1964-2001) was killed on September 11, 2001 during firefighting and rescue operations following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Heffernan grew up on Beach 114 Street in Rockaway.

Twenty-five years later, we honor the Queens residents, first responders, workers, and volunteers who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, or died from 9/11-related illnesses. Each lived in or shared a deep connection with Queens, and many are remembered through local memorial sites and co-named streets featured here on the Queens Name Explorer. On this page, we remember those lost from the following neighborhoods: Ridgewood, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Jamaica, Oakland Gardens-Hollis Hills. Rockaway (Far Rockaway, Edgemere, Arverne, Rockaway Park).