Michael Izzo, of Huntington, who loved being a chef and, later, an NYPD cop, dies at 42

Michael Izzo could not wait to share with his family how he felt his first night patrolling the northeastern Queens neighborhoods of the NYPD’s 111th Precinct.

"He was in the car, he called in the later hours of the night, he said ‘Mikey, I’m a cop now,’ " Izzo’s cousin, also named Michael Izzo, recalled. "He sent me selfies. It was a very proud moment. He always wanted to be a police officer ... and that’s something I’m so grateful and proud to have seen him accomplish."

That was in December 2021. Izzo’s constant phone calls and selfies, many in his NYPD uniform, didn't stop — until this past weekend, when the Huntington resident was involved in a two-car collision in Greenlawn while off-duty. He died of his injuries at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore on Tuesday, Newsday previously reported. He was 42.

Izzo is survived by his mother, Sonia; his brother, Anthony; and his sister, Rosa, all of Huntington. He was predeceased by his father, Anthony.

Izzo’s relatives described him as a "kind" and "loving" man and said they were proud of his dream-fulfilling career change in his late 30s. The son of Italian immigrants spent his first act as a chef cooking up Italian cuisine in various restaurants.

"Our family is from Italy and food is our culture, that’s how we express our creativity, our affection," his cousin, also 42, of Palm City, Florida, said.

As a kid, the lefthanded Izzo expressed his creativity in other ways. When he wasn’t watching professional wrestling or following the Mets, he was sketching Spider-Man and the other superheroes that composed his comic book collection. But his exposure to traditional home-cooked meals proved perhaps the most indelible impression. His family would pick fresh tomatoes from East End farms to cook homemade sauce, his cousin recalled.

Izzo expanded his personal penchant for pasta and pizza working as a chef for various Italian joints, from East End establishments to his father’s own Vintage restaurant on Jericho Turnpike in Garden City Park, his family said. He even worked the grill for a couple years at his aunt Susan Izzo’s Bagel Bites eatery when he lived in Florida.

Of all Izzo's specialties, his cousin said his personal favorite was his "homemade pesto sauce with pistachios, basil, Parmigiano cheese, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil." But after so much time in the kitchen, Izzo sought an opportunity that would allow him to serve people in another way.

"The restaurant business is tough, I don’t think he really envisioned doing that forever," Izzo’s brother, Anthony, 35, told Newsday. Izzo became a cop, he added, because "it’s a better way to help the community, and he likes to socialize. ... It’s more aligned to the engagement he wanted in the community."

Izzo’s "very friendly" and "easy to talk to" demeanor made it easy for him to make friends with his fellow officers and served him well as a member of the 111th Precinct’s Quality of Life Team, NYPD Lt. Michael Taormina told Newsday.

Izzo patrolled Oakland Gardens and Hollis Hills and addressed residents' concerns from serious crimes to noise complaints and blocked fire hydrants. During monthly community meetings at the precinct, residents would often bring up Izzo by name.

"The community that he worked for was very happy with him," Taormina said. "They were sad to see, obviously, what happened to him. They’ve been very supportive of us the last few days."

Izzo’s love of a homemade meal never wavered when he swapped his apron for an NYPD uniform. His commanding officer described him as "a very hard worker" and "a foodie" who occasionally brought in his mother’s homemade cooking to share or suggested where other officers should grab a bite. He seemed dedicated to his second career path, often asking Taormina about his promotional track and how he might pursue a promotion of his own.

"He always tossed around a lot of ideas, becoming a detective," Taormina said. "He always wanted to do the investigative stuff. He’s also very interested in supervising."

In the years before his death, Izzo "was on top of the world" between his work and his social life, his brother said.

Since becoming a cop, Izzo underwent a "positive transformation" and "really took to nutrition and fitness," his cousin said. He was also determined "to be a positive resource and a friend" to those he encountered as a patrol officer.

"Everybody has a dream, everyone has a passion that they want fulfilled," his cousin said. "That was the best thing that could have happened in my cousin’s life was to pursue a dream and to live it and to have an impact."

Visitation will take place Feb. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Brueggemann Funeral Home in East Northport. The funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, 9:30 a.m., at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Greenlawn.  Burial will follow at Locust Valley Cemetery.