Former NYPD Commissioner and 9/11 hero Bernard Kerik has died at the age of 69

The former NYPD commissioner (NYPD) during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Bernard Kerik, who years later served time for federal tax fraud, died Thursday at age 69. Kerik was an Army veteran and got his start in the police as a correctional officer in New Jersey during the 1980s before eventually joining the NYPD. In 1993, Kerik worked with Rudy Giuliani as a key part of his security team during his campaign for mayor of New York, which he ended up winning. Kerik was appointed commissioner of the city's Department of Corrections and, by 2000, was appointed by Giuliani as NYPD commissioner.

In a statement, FBI Director Kash Patel detailed that Kerik passed away "after a private battle with illness. We mourn the loss of Bernard B. Kerik, a warrior, a patriot, and one of the most courageous public servants this country has ever known...With over forty years of service in law enforcement and national security, he dedicated his life to protecting the American people. Bernie led with strength and resolve in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, guiding the NYPD through one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history. He was decorated more than 100 times for bravery, valor, and service, having rescued victims from burning buildings, survived assassination attempts, and brought some of the world’s most dangerous criminals to justice." No further details about the circumstances of his death have been provided.

Statements from Eric Adams and Giuliani

Likewise, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement, "It was just this afternoon that I stopped by the hospital to see Bernie Kerik, my friend of nearly 30 years, before his passing. He was with his loved ones who are in my prayers tonight. He was a great New Yorker and American."

In the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that Sept. 11, 2001, both Kerik and Giuliani were considered heroes because of their actions amid one of the most tragic and painful moments in U.S. history. Regarding his death, Giuliani, who was very close to Kerik, said during his program Thursday, "We’ve been together since the beginning. He’s like my brother. I was a better man for having known Bernie. I certainly was a braver and stronger man."