A Fallen NYPD Hero’s Life Story, in His Wife’s Own Words

It’s been nearly a month since New York City police officer Jonathan Diller’s funeral, the first NYC cop to lose his life in the line of duty in two years. America knows the names of the few bad cops in America who abuse their power. But they need to know the names of the good cops too, especially those who gave their lives protecting us from the evil and peril around us. Which is why Americans need to know the story of Jonathan Diller. Not just how he died but how he lived.

Diller, who joined the NYPD in 2021, lost his life doing the kind of routine work cops do that can quickly turn deadly. He and his partner were investigating an illegally parked SUV in the Far Rockaway section of Queens when a 34-year-old with a long rap sheet pulled out a gun and opened fire at the officers. Diller was hit in the torso just below his bulletproof vest. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, but his wounds were too severe.

His funeral was a solemn affair as friends and fellow policemen—thousands of cops from across the tristate area—gathered inside and outside St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Massapequa, the cry of bagpipes and drums echoing through the streets as Diller’s flag-draped casket made its way through the crowd. There were several speakers, none more moving than his wife, Stephanie, who stood at the podium alongside her 1-year-old son, Ryan.

I am so proud that thousands of people around the country are calling Jonathan a hero, but the truth is he has always been a hero to Ryan and me. The rest of the world is just catching up.

Stephanie talked about Jonathan’s family life, his upbringing in Long Island and the type of guy he was when he was young.

He grew up taking memorable ski trips with his family, playing lacrosse and hockey and forming friendships that would last a lifetime. He was a connector. The kind of guy that would draw people in and find something in common with everyone. A friend to everyone.

Stephanie also talked about how she met her husband.

I remember on one of our very first dates we went to see a movie. He was so tired from work that he fell asleep in the movie theater. He was snoring so loudly that the people around me asked me to wake him up [laughs]. But if you ever asked him the story, I was the one who fell asleep, started snoring and embarrassed him [more laughs].

Stephanie then talked about her relationship with her husband. The laughs quickly turned to tears.

I never doubted how much Jonathan loved me because he always told me. He was absolutely my soulmate and we could just understand each other with a look. Anytime I entered a room, I looked for him and knew that the place I belonged was the spot next to him. We had a connection that not many people get to experience in their lifetime.

Holding back tears, Stephanie took a moment to describe her wedding day.

In November of 2019 at our wedding, I remember being so nervous to walk down the aisle in front of so many people. But as soon as the church doors opened, I saw him look at me and I realized how lucky I was. He looked at me like I was his whole world. And he always treated me like I was his whole world.

She described her life with Jonathan after the wedding.

Together we lived a very simple life in Massapequa. We worked hard, we relaxed at home, we cooked, and we had the cutest dog in the world, Tucker. We did everything together, and I really mean that. We were best friends. He would call us Batman and Robin, but he said I was Batman and he was Robin.

Stephanie then described her husband’s decision to leave his job at his family’s business and join the NYPD.

Everyone was so proud he found something he loved to do, and he was exceptional at it. He would go in early, stay late and work overtime because he just loved it. It was no surprise he was an incredible police officer when you think about the type of man he was. He was always putting people above himself, dropping everything to help someone in need and speaking up for what was right. He was a fierce protector of everyone around him.

She talked about her husband’s best role of them all: fatherhood.

Jonathan always wanted to be a dad, and he wasted no time being the greatest one. I will never forget the look on his face when our son was born. I don’t think we could ever achieve a greater happiness. Jonathan wanted nothing more than to show Ryan off to anyone and everyone he knew. He was excited that Ryan’s first word was “Dadda,” and I remember I would playfully try to get him to say “Mamma” instead. But now I never want to stop hearing Ryan say “Dadda” to me [crying].

Stephanie then described the day that changed her world—and her son’s—forever.

Our lives were pretty much perfect until five days ago, when everything changed forever. He was called into duty, and in typical Jonathan fashion he didn’t run away. He did what was right, and he did what he loved. He wasn’t the type to sugarcoat anything, so I won’t sugarcoat this: This is devastating. It’s a senseless, tragic loss for so many. Our family, our friends and the entire city of New York. It’s a shame that someone who brought so much positivity to the world was given such a negative ending.

Stephanie wasn’t finished, as she continued with these heartbreaking words.

There was so much he was looking forward to, like watching his siblings build a life with their spouses, seeing his friends become fathers and watching his son grow. It breaks my heart that Ryan was robbed of getting to grow up with his dad. Jonathan had so many things he wanted to teach him, like how to play ice hockey, how to drive a car, ride a bike, to watch Ryan go to his first day of school and watch him graduate on his last.

Holding back tears, Stephanie closed things out with these words:

It’s hard to imagine how long I have to wait to see Jonathan again. When the doors of heaven open for me one day, I hope to see Jonathan standing there looking at me just like he did on our wedding day. My husband died a hero, but he also lived as one. Rest in peace Jonathan—the man who captured my heart, and now all of New York’s.

Stephanie Diller’s words were a stark reminder that the men and women serving to protect us across America—the 700,000-plus cops and sheriffs and federal agents—are overwhelmingly good and decent people. Good men and women who go to work each day to protect and serve—and sometimes never return home.