By Police1 Staff
NEW YORK — A 23-year veteran of the New York Police Department died Friday from kidney failure, his family says
Doctors discovered a mass on Officer Dave Guevara’s lungs when he went to the doctor for what he thought was pneumonia two weeks ago, his wife, Lakisha, told the New York Daily News.
Guevara, 45, worked multiple recovery operations at Ground Zero in the days following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks even though he wasn’t a first responder at the time. Lakisha told the publication the family suspects her husband died due to the toxic exposure.
“His death happened so suddenly, within two and a half weeks,” Lakisha said. “He deteriorated to a point where most of his organs failed, and it was one thing after another where every day I would go to the hospital and the doctor told me something else failed.”
Guevara was considering retirement in September. He leaves behind his wife, and a son and daughter, ages 14 and 20.
NYPD’s 70th tweeted out news of Guevara’s death, as well.
https://twitter.com/NYPD70Pct/status/851070892272746497