THE BRONX — Mourners poured into a Throgs Neck funeral home Monday afternoon to honor the founder of South Bronx ice cream company Delicioso Coco Helado, who died last week after being crushed by a roll-down gate.
"The Bronx is in mourning," said William Sanabria Jr., a 49-year-old NYCHA employee, at the Schuyler Hill Funeral Home. "We lost a big entrepreneur and a big friend."
Thiebaud had helped sponsor Sanabria's gospel street festival on Southern Boulevard for over 10 years and was dedicated to helping the borough.
"Anyone that would go to the business, he'd open the doors and help them," he said.
Thiebaud, who founded Delicioso Coco Helado in 1978, was sweeping in front of the factory at 849 St. Anns Avenue, on Sept. 19 when he collapsed underneath a closing roll-down gate.
He was crushed, according to police, colleagues and sources and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials.
The Medical Examiner's office has ruled his death an accident. The cause of death was compression of the neck and chest.
"He was a pillar of the community," said Tom Martinez, 71, whose wife worked for Thiebaud for about 20 years. "He was in every benefit function that was here. He was always there to serve the community. Always."
Two Delicioso Coco Helado stands flanked the entrance of the funeral home, and several mourners arrived to the wake in shirts with Thiebaud's face on them, along with the message "R.I.P. Alfredo Thiebaud, Rey Del Coco," Spanish for "King of Coconut."
The company made up the shirts, according to Danilo Castro, who has worked for Thiebaud for roughly 25 years and described him as a "very nice" boss.
"He was a second father for everybody," he said.
Congressman José Serrano, who attended the wake, characterized Thiebaud's ice cream carts as an indispensable part of The Bronx on par with Yankee Stadium, the Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo.
"Those carts became part of our culture," he said.
The wake for Thiebaud in the funeral home at 3535 E. Tremont Ave. was slated to take place until 9 p.m. Monday.
The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the same location starting around 10 a.m.
Lenny Caro, CEO of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, read a statement from Thiebaud's family expressing appreciation for how many Bronx residents Thiebaud had affected.
"Our loss today will never ever be forgotten, but we will continue his legacy for the rest our lives," the statement read.
"We will open up the business on Wednesday to give those the opportunity to get back like he would want."
