Donald E. Cossean Jr., age 68, of Orlando, Florida passed away on Tuesday May 17th 2022 from his 9-11 related illness.
He is survived by his loving wife Carol; son, Donnie; daughter Kerri and (future son in law) Brad Hutzley; brothers Tommy and Brian; and fur grandchildren, Wally and Pablo. He is preceded in death by his brother, Tony; parents Donald and Lilyan; and beloved bulldog, Choppa. He also leaves behind many friends and brothers in blue.
A devoted Catholic, Don was born and raised in Staten Island, New York and always spoke fondly of his upbringing in Rossville. He graduated from Tottenville High School in 1972 where he met his future wife, Carol. They were married just a few years later in 1975.
In 1980, Don became a corrections officer in Brooklyn House of Detention, switching in 1982 to the NYPD. He was extremely proud of his career. He was a 9-11 first responder, getting the call to head to lower Manhattan just after the towers were hit. He worked at the site for countless hours and retired December 1st, 2001.
Not one to sit around, Don began a second career as a school bus driver for Pioneer Transportation. He loved this job and every child was special to him.
Everyone that met Don knew he was something special. Full of love, life and laughter, he was the first one to throw food on the grill and make any gathering into a party. He will also forever be remembered for his love of history, space, and music.
Along with being an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Don played on various football teams to include the Staten Island Plainsmen, the Staten Island Titans, and the NYPD football team.