A Long Island restaurateur arranged a temporary airspace closure to stage a large, synchronized drone tribute to first responders and victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, drawing county officials and hundreds of people to his parking lot.
Gus Tsiorvas, owner of the Embassy Diner in Bethpage, said he paid to secure airspace and logistics for more than 350 drones that flew in coordinated formations over the diner’s Hempstead Turnpike parking lot in a roughly 12‑minute display on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The show included images and sequences honoring the NYPD, FDNY, the Port Authority and other rescuers, Tsiorvas said.
"The slogan is ‘Never Forget,’ but, unfortunately, people are forgetting," Tsiorvas told The Post, adding that the display was meant to remind the community of the contributions first responders made on Sept. 11. The diner, which Tsiorvas describes as "a second home" for police and rescue personnel, is frequently draped in American flags and displays badges and tributes to emergency workers.
Tsiorvas said the scale of the show required use of a nearby middle school soccer and football field as a staging area. Several streets surrounding the Embassy were closed for the event because of the expected turnout, he said. Nassau County officials partnered with the diner after word of the planned tribute spread, boosting the ceremony and adding official elements.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, whose office said the county suffered a substantial loss of life on Sept. 11, praised the tribute and noted a personal connection to the attacks. "Nassau County was devastated by the attacks of 9/11 with a tremendous loss of life, including my nephew, Sgt. Tommy Jurgens," Blakeman told The Post. He said the county is holding additional commemorations, including a concert at Eisenhower Park.
Officials said the county police band planned a formal component to the commemoration, with taps performed on trumpets and the pipe band playing "Amazing Grace." Tsiorvas said he ordered 2,000 small flags to distribute at the event.
Tsiorvas, whose family includes law enforcement officers, said the tribute was not a commercial undertaking. "It's not about the money. It's about sending the right message and reminding the world that we here on Long Island will always be proud to back the blue," he said. He recounted that several widows who lost spouses on Sept. 11 approached him at the diner to thank him and that the response from patrons and neighbors had been emotional.
The event follows a stretch of public displays and private remembrances on Long Island, a county that lost many residents in the attacks. Tsiorvas said his hope was to keep the memory of those losses and the actions of first responders in public view as local institutions and officials prepare ceremonies for the anniversary.
Tsiorvas said the tribute grew quickly beyond his original plans as local and county officials joined the effort and community members arrived in larger numbers than he expected. He said he received visits from area media and that earlier this year the diner drew attention for events and visits by public personalities.
Tsiorvas also voiced a personal hope that former President Donald Trump might stop by the diner after attending nearby events, saying, "It would be our honor to serve our president." He did not provide plans or confirmation from the former president. Organizers emphasized that the primary purpose of the event was commemoration and thanks to the emergency workers who responded to the attacks and to those who continue to serve.
Authorities granted the temporary airspace restrictions and coordinated with event organizers to ensure safety for the drone operation, staging areas and the expected crowd. Event organizers and county officials said they will continue to hold public remembrances and related programming in the days surrounding the anniversary.
The Embassy Diner tribute is among a range of commemorations planned locally this year, combining private initiatives and government ceremonies to mark the anniversary of Sept. 11 and to honor first responders and victims.