"I spoke about wings - you just flew."
New York - Brendan Thomas Costello Jr., 55, died peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, at Mt. Sinai Morningside in New York City. A resident of New York City since 1992, he had previously lived in Yorktown Heights and Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born in White Plains on July 14, 1969, Brendan was the son of the late Brendan Thomas Costello Sr., and Colette Mary Wolfe Costello. He was an Adjunct Professor who taught creative writing and literature at the City College of New York, where he also received his M.F.A. in Creative Writing. He was published in Harper's, the Village Voice, Huffington Post, Slate and other publications. Brendan is remembered by many as their most impactful creative writing advocate and mentor, and he often put his own creative writing work aside to encourage the writing and arts talents and skills of others.
As a student of Yorktown High School, Brendan founded the group Students For Peace, which successfully brought about a vote to make the grounds of the school a Nuclear Free Zone; today, the group remains as it evolved, into a thriving and inspirational chapter of Amnesty, International, which has guided many students' outlook on human rights. After college, Brendan was a parishioner and lector at Ascension Roman Catholic Church in New York, NY, where he loved the Jazz Mass. Brendan also co-hosted and produced a dynamic and unique disability rights and culture radio show on WBAI, “The Largest Minority,” which ran from 2002-2016. For his work at WBAI, Brendan was awarded a Commendation from the City of New York in 2013. Brendan also produced annual Bloomsday reading events as a member of both the James Joyce Society and the Irish American Writers and Artists Association (IAW&A). He was also the President of the IAW&A at the time of his passing, and a recipient of the Irish Echo 2024 Heroes of Irish America Award.
Brendan's wit was incisive, and his wisdom and strength so powerful that he himself not only survived unspeakable tragedy with aplomb, but those whose lives he touched were forever guided and changed by the same strength, wit and wisdom. His loss, and the sorrow we his family and close friends feel, is difficult to fathom.
Brendan is survived by his sister, Darlene Costello of Fishkill, N.Y.; and his extended adoptive family of very close loving bonds, including his aunt and uncle, Cathy and Marty Costello, who raised him like a son after the untimely death of his mother; and his cousin/sisters (a.k.a. cous-sisters), who always loved him as a brother, Katie and her husband, Ryan Odell of Poughquag, N.Y. and Maryanne and her husband Craig Canavan of Lagrangeville, N.Y.
There will be a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial with Jazz Ensemble at Ascension Roman Catholic Church, 221 West 107th St, Morningside, New York City, on Feb. 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with reception details to be announced.
Brendan's family asks that people contribute to the GoFundMe linked here: https://gofund.me/3e019c6c., for his memorialization, and with which the family intends on seeding a fund for creative writing projects and programs in the future.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, Inc., 1089 Main Street, Fishkill, N.Y.
For a collection a six short tributes, “What the world lost,” see here; for an essay by his predecessor as IAW&A president, see here; and for a statement from the Irish Echo's publisher, see here.
