Honoring Ava Conklin Way

By Dan Guarino

Hundreds crowded the corner of Beach 108th Street and Rockaway Beach Blvd. on a hot, sunny Saturday, August 3, to honor Ava Mairead Conklin with a heartfelt street co-naming ceremony. They came from Rockaway, Broad Channel, Hell’s Kitchen and beyond to pay tribute to the young woman who tragically lost her life there just over a year ago.

Bagpipers and drummers of NYC Sanitation’s Emerald Society filled the air with “Amazing Grace,” starting things off at 1 p.m. Bearing flowers, balloons and t-shirts with her image, on what would have been her 21st birthday, the packed gathering listened as each speaker shared who Ava was and what she meant to them.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola, instrumental in the street co-naming said, “It is so wonderful to see this outpouring of love for Ava,” adding, “She gave love wherever she went. She loved the Earth, she loved music, she loved her family, she loved Rockaway. And she was not just loved but beloved.”

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato remembered working with Ava’s great-grandfather at Foodtown “way back in the day.” “I think our co-naming ‘Ava Conklin Way’ is a way we can remember her. She will always be watching us.”

Sisters Emma, Peyton and Gabby each spoke movingly about their missing sibling. Emma, the youngest, noted, “I’ll be turning 16 this year. The last time I saw you, I was 14.” In a poem she said, “I’ll meet you in my dreams, in a moment we can keep.”

Ava’s mother, Chrissy Collins, shared her love of music, dance and performance and dedication to Rosie’s Theater Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children through the arts. “Her dream was to take a bow on the Great White Way,” Collins said.

A visibly moved group of young Rosie’s alumni paid tribute in song with John Lennon’s “Imagine” and “Blackbird” by “her favorite group, the Beatles.” She had a “special way to make us laugh, to be seen and loved,” they said.

Ava’s father, Matt Conklin, who with his family has created a memorial to her at the fateful corner, introduced each speaker. His own birthday just days away, he said, “Ava was my birthday gift for 21 years.” He also said, “You don’t’ have an option with grief. There’s no ups, no downs. Grief goes on.”

Colleen Brady, Ava’s aunt, recounted the horrible day she was told there was an accident and rushed to the scene, not knowing the outcome.

On June 24, 2023, while waiting for one of her sisters at the bus stop just across from The Rockaway Hotel where she worked, Ava was struck by an SUV which had jumped the curb. To date, the corner still has no barrier, not even a temporary one, to protect pedestrians from a similar fate. The driver, Daniel Sails, has stated he fell asleep at the wheel. The family has continued to press for further legal action against Sails, who was charged with a reckless driving misdemeanor and two failure to exercise due care violations.

Recalling that June day, Brady said, “This is a nightmare no parent should ever live.” Remembering happier times, she spoke about a huge baby shower with so many presents the U-Haul truck rented to carry them blocked traffic. As the first grandchild for both sides of the family, “I knew this baby would be so loved.”

“Before she was born, we were all there for Ava. Today,” she said, acknowledging the huge crowd, “we are all here for Ava.”

With the adjacent lane blocked to traffic by a Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department engine, family members were invited to unveil the new street sign proclaiming “Ava Conklin Way.”          A sign was also given to the family.

They noted a QR code affixed to her memorial for Turning Hearts, a site featuring pictures of Ava Conklin, and announced the Ava Conklin Foundation, whose website states it “is dedicated to fostering young talent in the arts. While we are in the early stages of our journey, our primary service will be providing scholarships to children with a passion for the arts.”

Even well after Matthew Conklin thanked everyone for coming, many lingered for hours to be together and to remember Ava.

As her aunt Colleen Brady said, “She always shows us signs she is with us.”

Photos by Dan Guarino.