NEW YORK, NY — A corner in East Harlem now carries the name of John William Perry, the NYPD officer who was minutes away from retirement when the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks began. The city marked the tribute less than a week before the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks, giving the fallen officer a permanent place in the neighborhood.
The new street sign honors Perry at East 101st Street and Madison Avenue. He was one of 23 NYPD officers killed on 9/11 and the only one who was off duty when the planes struck the World Trade Center.
From retirement papers to the World Trade Center
Perry was at Police Headquarters at One Police Plaza when he learned that the first plane had hit the North Tower. He had been filling out retirement paperwork, but he stopped the process, asked for his badge back and headed to the attack site.
That decision became part of the final chapter of his life. According to NBC New York, Perry’s last known act of bravery was helping a woman out of the South Tower before he died when that tower collapsed.
His sister, Janice Perry-Montoya, said the naming was emotional and meaningful for the family. She said it was satisfying to see him become part of New York City forever, especially because he loved the city.
A Bronx officer with law and language skills
Perry, who was 38, was assigned to the 40th Precinct in the Bronx. Before joining the police department, he had already built a career as an immigration lawyer after graduating from NYU School of Law.
He had been preparing to move into full-time medical malpractice law when the attacks happened. His life in and out of public service reflected a wide range of interests and responsibilities, from legal work to policing.
The tribute in East Harlem adds a visible public marker to that life. It also places Perry’s name in a part of the city where many residents and visitors will now encounter it as part of the street grid.
Service in law, the Guard and community groups
Perry was fluent in several languages, including Spanish, Swedish, Russian, French and Portuguese. Those skills supported his work as a legal adviser and translator, roles he also took on while serving the city.
He served on the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union and volunteered with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He was also a first lieutenant in the New York State Guard.
Outside his professional duties, he had a reputation for broad personal accomplishments. The city release said he ran three marathons, completed a swim around Manhattan and even appeared as an extra in Woody Allen films.
A memorial connected to the 9/11 legacy
The new street naming arrives as New York prepares to observe 25 years since the attacks that reshaped the city and the country. For Perry’s family and for the department, the corner now serves as a public reminder of the officer’s final actions and sacrifice.
The press release also said Perry’s recovered NYPD shield is preserved in the collection of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. That artifact adds another layer to the record of his service and the memory carried forward by the museum.
For the NYPD, the recognition places Perry among the officers whose names remain tied to the city’s response on Sept. 11. For the neighborhood, it turns a standard intersection into a lasting memorial that keeps his story visible in daily life.
How the city is preserving Perry’s name
Street namings in New York often serve as public markers of local history, and this one links East Harlem directly to the events at the World Trade Center. The corner at East 101st Street and Madison Avenue now tells a story of service, urgency and loss every time someone passes the sign.
Perry’s name also reflects the larger role of first responders whose actions on 9/11 continue to shape civic remembrance. The new sign does not just honor what happened in those final minutes; it places his life, career and sacrifice into an everyday part of the city’s landscape.
As the anniversary approaches, the city’s tribute gives residents another point of connection to the past. It recognizes an officer who left retirement papers behind and ran toward danger when New York needed him most.
