New York State Senator Jose Peralta, who died suddenly last week of apparent septic shock, was laid to rest Tuesday morning in Queens, the borough he represented.
Pols from across the city joined family and friends to pack Peralta’s funeral at St. Joan of Arc Church in Jackson Heights, a neighborhood he had represented in Albany along with Corona, Elmhurst and Woodside since 2010 when he became the first Dominican-American elected to State Senate.
“We were perfect together,” said Peralta’s widow, Evelyn, through tears. “I will miss his mind, his intellect, his affection.”
“The only regret I have is my time with him was too short.”
In addition to his wife, Peralta, 47, leaves behind two sons, 13-year-old Myles and 21-year-old Matthew, who played a moving tribute to his father on cello towards the somber ceremony’s conclusion.
Peralta is also survived by a rich legislative legacy, highlighted by his fierce support for the rights of immigrants, mourners said.
To thunderous applause, Evelyn urged lawmakers to pass the state’s version of the DREAM Act, a bill which would provide tuition assistance to students in the United States illegally — and to “give [Jose] some credit” for its passage.
Some pols, including Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D – Brooklyn), wanted to take the push a step further, expressing a desire to not only pass the legislation but name it after Peralta.
“Jose deserves credit,” Ortiz said. “He connected with the Dreamers because he was like one of them.”
“Jose died too soon,” he added. “It’s a sad day.”
Others among the crowd — which included Mayor de Blasio, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and Melinda Katz and Ruben Diaz Jr., the borough presidents of Queens and The Bronx, respectively — remarked on the grace with which Peralta accepted his Democratic primary loss in September to Sen.-elect Jessica Ramos, who on Monday night was turned away from a wake for Peralta.
“I shared him with this community,” said Evelyn Peralta. “I will miss you before we meet again.”