MIDDLETOWN, Conn. — Connecticut State Police announced Tuesday that one of their troopers died from cancer related to his response to the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001
Trooper First Class Eugene Kenneth Baron, Jr., died Monday. State Police said this was classified as a line of duty death.
"Trooper Baron, along with other members of the Traffic Services Unit of the Connecticut State Police, responded to the World Trade Center immediately following the attacks to search for possible survivors and serve as a liaison to Connecticut families," police said in a statement.
Trooper Baron graduated from the State Police Training Academy in April 1990. His first assignment was at Troop A in Southbury, followed by Troop G in Bridgeport and, later, the State Police Traffic Services Unit.
Trooper Baron served with the Connecticut State Police for a total of 18 years, leaving with a partial disability retirement in 2007. He is survived by his three children, his partner and her two children, two sisters, and his parents.
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James C. Rovella and State Police Colonel Stavros Mellekas both expressed sympathy at the passing of TFC Baron.
“Our condolences and prayers go to the Baron family at this time. Trooper Baron contracted cancer while doing a job that he loved. His first concern on September 11, 2001, was to help people affected by the terrorist attacks,” Commissioner Rovella noted. “He was always a Trooper at heart and he will be greatly missed.”
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of TFC Baron. He served this agency proudly and
was a vital member of the State Police team,” said Colonel Mellekas. “Our Troopers put their lives on the line each day and now 24 have made the ultimate sacrifice for the citizens of Connecticut.”
“Trooper Baron was a well-respected member of our agency, but he was also the son of a Trooper and a father of three. His life was cut short due to his service to others, a legacy that will never be forgotten,” Colonel Mellekas added.
Services for TFC Baron, with full State Police Honors, are as follows:
Wake Service
Friday, May 29, 2020, 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Bennett Funeral Home
91 North Cliff Street
Ansonia, CT
Funeral/Graveside Service
Saturday, May 30, 2020, at 11:00 a.m.
Mount Saint Peters Cemetery
219 New Haven Avenue (Route 34)
Derby, CT
All services will be conducted in accordance with the Governor’s executive orders concerning social distancing and the numbers of persons gathered.
