PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano dedicated Adelphia Road in Lake Parsippany, on Saturday, July 4, in Memory of Sergeant Derek Tra McConnell.
“I was honored to join Gold Star Mother Siobhan Fuller-McConnell to dedicate Adelphia Road in honor of her fallen son, Sergeant Derek McConnell of the US Army, whose life was cut short after serving our country in battle. Our Township was proud to commemorate his ultimate sacrifice to our country by honoring his name and his legacy,” said Mayor Michael Soriano.
Council President Michael dePierro said “Parsippany street dedication for Army Sergeant Derek McConnell on July 4, 2020. Derek McConnell was a true Hero. It was my honor to be there with Siobhan Mary and her family while Parsippany paid tribute to her son.”
Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill said “It was an honor to be in Parsippany for the dedication of Adelphia Road for fallen hero Sergeant Derek McConnell with his family. Derek represents the best values of our nation — Dedication to country, service to others, and love for his family. We have an obligation to remember Derek’s commitment to our nation and to do better for all our service members injured while defending our freedoms. It is my hope that this memorial to Derek serves as a reminder of how much Derek loved and sacrificed for our country, and how much our community loves him in return.”
“It was a fitting tribute to recognize Sergeant Derek McConnell’s sacrifice on Independence Day. He represents the best in Parsippany, a true American hero, who paid the ultimate price so we could enjoy the freedoms found only in our great country. God bless Derek and his family,” said Morris County Clerk Ann F Grossi.
On July 23, 2011, Derek Tra McConnell was out on a dismounted patrol and hit two IEDs. The first one just knocked him out. He could have stood down, but he got right back up and that’s when he hit the second. He suffered from a left hip disarticulation (leg gone from the hip), right thigh above the knee amputation, skull fracture, TBI, jaw fractured in three places, missing teeth, broken ulna (arm in limb salvage and somewhat functioning), blast wounds and internal injuries. He battled serious infections and pneumonia for over three months, spent 53 days total in the ICU, and 7 months total as an inpatient. Derek did not let his injuries get him down. His sense of humor never quit attitude, and passion for life was infectious.
Derek was born in 1989, the second of five children. Derek moved to Parsippany in August 2009. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 2010 and was stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y. Derek deployed to Afghanistan in March 2011. He was an aspiring writer and ghost hunter.
