Picente Statement On the Passing Of Former Governor Mario Cuomo

"I was saddened to hear of the loss of Governor Mario Cuomo. He was truly one of the great giants of the Empire State. In my encounters with the former Governor I found him to be a genuine and humble man who cared deeply about New York and its residents. A first generation Italian American, Mario Cuomo has been a shining example of what we all can accomplish with perseverance.  From Jamaica, Queens he rose to national prominence with a gift for electrifying oratory, still studied in classrooms today. First as a young baseball player and then a New York City Lawyer he went on to become New York's Secretary of State, Lt. Governor and finally the 52nd Governor of the great State of New York.   He leaves behind a legacy both professionally and personally that everyone should be proud of because it is the quintessential New York story, it is the quintessential American Story.  Through hard work and dedication you can go wherever you want to go and be whoever you want to be no matter what obstacles may be in your way. 

Eleanor and I send our thoughts and prayers to Governor Andrew Cuomo and the entire Cuomo family today, we are sorry for their loss but they can take solace in knowing that all of New York mourns with them. Mario Cuomo will be missed but he will never be forgotten. 

I've lowered the flags in Oneida County in remembrance of Governor Mario Cuomo. "