Steve Nicoli, the co-founder of Hudson Valley Honor Flight, is being remembered as a selfless and passionate person. Nicoli passed away Sept. 26 at the age of 42. Honor Flight takes local veterans on day trips from the Hudson Valley to Washington D.C. at no cost. This work made him a beloved figure in Montgomery.

“A friend not just to Honor Flight, but to the whole community," said Frank Kimler, the chair of Hudson Valley Honor Flight. "And a friend to all who have served.”

What You Need To Know

  • Steve Nicoli founded Hudson Valley Honor Flight as a way to give back to veterans

  • Nicoli passed away on Sept. 26 at the age of 42

  • Veterans and community members remember him as someone who was passionate and selfless, and as someone always wanting to help the veteran community

That includes veterans like Patrick Harding, a Korean War vet who took the flight on mission 15 back in 2017. He says it was an incredible experience, not just to see the nation’s capital, but to be with vets who can understand what he’s been through.

“It was great. Flying out over your town and the trip itself was excellent," Harding said. "You couldn’t have designed it any better.”

During a memorial vigil for Nicoli last week, Kimler says he was in awe of the outpouring of support and seeing how many people Nicoli affected.

“He just had such passion,” Kimler said. “Outside this building here, we had 300 people in a candlelight service. That’s just a testament to the man that he was and the lives that he affected and the lives that he touched.”

The Honor Flight family is still emotional after losing Nicoli. But they will continue on with their mission, because it’s what he would’ve wanted. And they'll always remember what Nicoli has done for Hudson Valley vets.

“To affect one life is a miracle in one’s journey, and the fact that he can say that he’s affected thousands of lives, at the young age of 42, is a miracle," Kimler said. "And a blessing and we’re all blessed to have known him.