A former Marine was promoted to NYPD sergeant Friday — following in the footsteps of his parents, both 9/11 cancer survivors who proudly attended the ceremony to see their son move up.
“Having both of them here today to see me walk across th🌃e stage was a true blessing,” Marshall Win🎶ston Jr. said of his dad and mom, Marshall Winston Sr. and Candra Winston.
Marshall Sr. and Candra both worked at Ground Zero beginning on the day of the terror attacks Sept. 11, 2001, and developed prostate and breast cancer respectively because of their exposure to the toxic site, Marshall Jr. explained.
The dad — who worked nearly 30 years in the NYPD before retiring as a sergeant special assignment — and mom — who retired as a sergeant from the force after 24 years — both beat the disease.
“They both influenced me so much, and just seeing them get up every day and do what they love for close to 30 years … I don’t know how I could do any other job,” Marshall Jr., 26, said, noting he’d love to one day be the commissioner of the department.
His mom said, “I’m very proud of him.
“He’s a great leader.”
The son also followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a Marine at just 19, his mom pointed out.
Marshall Jr. said he saw what the NYPD and the Marine 🎶Corps. of💙fered each of his parents.
“I couldn’t choose between the two, so I did both,” the son said of being a cop and a Marine.
The newly minted sergeant’s parents met 30 years ago this month at a funeral for the dad’s academy mate Rudy Thomas — who died in the line of duty, their son said.
“So every time we speak about how beautiful this family is, we try to mention the legacy of Rudy Thomas, and we try to keep it going,” Marshall Jr. said.
M🀅arshall Jr. said he would like to work in the Housing Bureau of the NY꧑PD in Police Service Area 3, where Thomas died in the line of duty.
“I would like to continue my career where Rudy finished his,” Marshall Jr. said, noting that both of his parents also worked at times in the Housing Bureau.