A beloved New York City detective and Iraq War veteran died Tuesday at 38 following a months-long fight with liver cancer.
Detective Sammy Lee, who was assigned to the NYPD’s Intelligence Bureau, was diagnosed in July last year, according to his friends.
One police source described Lee — a dad of two with nearly a dozen commendations on his record — as “one of best guys in the world.”
NYPD Detective Sammy Lee passed away at the age of 38 after a fight with cancer. Fund the First“Everyone liked him,” the source said. “Never heard a negative comment about him. Just an all-around great guy.”
Dozens of cops lined a Queens street overnight into Wednesday to honor the fallen officer as his body was wheeled out of an ambulance, a video obtained by The Post shows.
Lee, who joined the NYPD in 2009, was an Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he worked near hazardous burn pits that union officials said caused his cancer.
He leaves behind a wife and two kids, 1 and 2 years old.
“Sammy is known around the precinct for his fun, carefree attitude that helps everyone get through the day with a laugh,” a fundraiser launched last year said about Lee. “He’s also known for his strong work ethic and helpfulness to those in need. He is a husband and father of two young children.”
Detectives Endowment Association president Paul DiGiacomo said in a statement, “Sammy epitomized courage.”
“The entire union stands in support of his wife and two young children. Sammy is forever in our prayers.”
