The widow of a New York Police Department officer who was killed in the line of duty after being the victim of a drunk driver remembered her hero husband by hosting a blood drive ahead of Father’s Day.
Irene Tsakos, widow of Detective Anastasios Tsakos, held two blood drives on Thursday, one at the NYPD’s 3rd Highway Patrol Squad, where her husband once worked, and another at St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church, where her husband’s funeral was held.
Eileen, who attended with her 6-year-old son, Stephen, told The Washington Post that the blood drive was in memory of her husband.
She said she plans to hold a blood drive each year around Father’s Day.
The 43-year-old father of two was posthumously promoted to detective after his wife was killed in a drunk hit-and-run crash on the Long Island Expressway three years ago.
Eileen made headlines during the trial last autumn when she broke down in tears as witnesses described her husband’s horrific injuries.
Prosecutors say the driver, Jessica Beauvais, 34, was under the influence of drugs and had a blood alcohol content of .15 when she struck Anastasios with her 2013 Volkswagen in the early morning hours of April 27, 2021, while Anastasios was under investigation for the crash.
Prosecutors said the 14-year veteran driver lost a leg and suffered internal organ compression when he landed 171 feet into the air during the crash, but Beauvais continued to drive away.
Hours before the fatal 2 a.m. crash, Beauvais was seen firing his gun while yelling expletives at officers in a live podcast posted to Facebook.
Beauvais’ lawyers argued that Anastasios should have worn more safety equipment.
The judge sentenced Beauvais to 27 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 22 years.
