Thursday, October 1, 2026
Recently I saw a screening of the documentary about the late NYPD detective Steven McDonald, “Saint of the City.” McDonald was a true hero. In 1986, as a young police officer, he was shot and permanently paralyzed by 15-year-old Shavod Jones, whom he was questioning about a series of bicycle thefts in Central Park.
Jones shot McDonald three times, the third time while he was lying on the ground, shattering his spine and leaving him a quadriplegic, needing a ventilator to breathe. McDonald not only survived, but forgave Jones and went on to live more than 30 heroic years of dedicated service, without complaint or self-pity, until his death in 2017.
Steven and his wife, Patti Ann, lived in Malverne during that time with their son, Conor, who was born just months after his father was shot. Patti Ann went on to serve two terms as Malverne’s mayor. “Saint of the City” was written by veteran Emmy-award winning WPIX-TV reporter Mary Murphy and produced by Erin Mulvey, a former DEA agent. Filled with facts, emotion and perspective, the film captures the essence of McDonald as an outstanding human being who inspired so many.
I met with him over the years at various police events, at his home in Malverne and in Congress. Those meetings made vividly clear to me just how devastating his injuries were. He was not only confined to a wheelchair, but incapable of moving any party of his body except his head, and he had no sense of feeling anywhere. Once when he gave me a book he had written, he inscribed it for me with a Sharpie he held between his teeth.
His breathing was labored, and required a ventilator. At any time he could be struck with severe spasms lasting 30 seconds to a minute. These were difficult to observe, never mind having to endure them.
As the film depicts, McDonald persevered through all of this. He regularly spoke at high schools and to young cops.
He was also an articulate voice for peace and justice in Northern Ireland, not just attending events in New York, but traveling to Northern Ireland to urge those on all sides — Catholics and Protestants, pro-British and pro-Irish — to resolve their differences and pursue the path to peace. McDonald’s efforts were particularly beneficial in the months following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, when radicals attempted to shatter the peace accord with a horrific bombing attack in Omagh, Northern Ireland, that killed 29 civilians and injured more than 200. His presence at such a critical time delivered a strong message about the necessity of maintaining peace and allowing the agreement to be implemented.
I remember when Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern addressed a joint session of Congress and singled out McDonald, who was seated in the House gallery. At a reception later that day, Sen. Ted Kennedy asked me to introduce Ahern to McDonald.
The film also highlights how McDonald was sustained by his Catholic faith, and particularly by the advice and consolation he received from Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the FDNY who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and Cardinal John O’Connor, who McDonald told me would visit him at his Malverne home to help him through tough moments. McDonald also organized prayer groups that met regularly.
The “Saint of the City” screening took place at the Marymount School, in Manhattan. Among those in attendance were former NYPD Commissioners Ray Kelly and Keechant Sewell, former Detective Bo Dietl and many high-ranking police officials and officers who worked with McDonald or got to know him over the years. Magee Hickey of WPIX, WINS reporter Juliet Papa and Daily News columnist Michael Daly were also there.
From the sports world there was Mets all-time great relief pitcher Jesse Orosco, who, after pitching the final innings of the Mets’ final 1986 World Series game against the Red Sox, had thrown his glove high in the air. Days later, Orosco gave the glove to McDonald, a longtime Mets fan.
Most notable among the attendees, of course, were Steven’s widow, Patti Ann, and their son, Conor, who is now a captain in the NYPD. Both personify and carry on the inspirational legacy of Steven McDonald, who was truly a saint among us. Once it is distributed, be sure to see “Saint of the City.”
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
