Daniel Gregory Prial

1990 - 2021

Daniel Gregory Prial
April 26, 1990 - January 20, 2021
Rochester, NY
On the evening of Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Warrant Officer 2 Daniel Gregory Prial of Warwick, NY died unexpectedly in a helicopter training mission accident at the age of 30.
Danny was born on April 26th, 1990 on Long Island at South Nassau Communities Hospital to Anne and Gregory Prial. He attended St. Stephen's School and Warwick Valley High School. Upon graduating high school, Danny attended the United States Military Academy at West Point from 2008 to 2012. He entered the 82nd Airborne Division as a helicopter pilot and was deployed to Afghanistan during 2014 and 2015. In 2020, he joined the New York National Guard. Danny is survived by his beloved dog, Shea; his parents, his siblings: Becky Fullam (Joe), Terence Prial (Abbie), Brigid Prial, and Jennie Prial; as well as his nephew and niece, Sam and Ada Fullam; also survived by his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Florence Leavy and paternal grandparents, Philip and Helen Prial.
Danny loved being raised in Warwick and this town was incredibly special to him. He was excited to move to Rochester because it was "only" a few hours' drive from Warwick, rather than a day of travel. Being a part of the Warwick cross-country and track team in high school was a formative experience, and he often wore his purple Warwick singlet from high school underneath his Army uniform. He preferred the cross-country season to track because it was more team-oriented, a value that he brought with him to the Army.
Danny was a passionate fan of New York sports, and he rode the (few) highs and (more frequent) lows of being a Mets and Jets fan. The Army-Navy game was always the sports highlight of Dan's year and he was overjoyed by Army's four wins against Navy in the past few years. Sports was one of the ways he formed so many friendships. He likely had more friendships than we will ever know, because of his outgoing personality and desire to connect with people: neighbors in his apartment building, strangers at the airport, and anyone on the golf course.
The genuine joy Dan felt from making friendships and spending time with his close friends fed his commitment as a soldier. Dan cherished fellowship, in the form of sports, sharing beers, or enduring challenges with his fellow soldiers. He connected with others so easily because he found value in the commonality of being American, and his time off and civilian experiences reminded him of why he sacrificed so much to serve in the Army.
Visitation will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday, January 29, at St. Stephen the First Martyr Church, 75 Sanfordville Rd., Warwick, NY. Please use the main entrance to the church off Sanfordville Rd. Masks and social distancing are required. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the number of visitors will be limited at any given time throughout the afternoon. In order to accommodate all who would like to pay respects, the Prials ask that after prayers and condolences are offered, visitors move out of the church to allow others an opportunity to come inside.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 30, at St. Stephen's Church. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendance in the church is by invitation only. The funeral Mass will also be livestreamed through the parish website at www.ststephenchurchwarwick.org. Audio from the funeral Mass will be broadcast outside the church for those who cannot be admitted inside but wish to be present. Those gathered outside are asked to socially distance, wear masks, and watch the Mass on muted personal devices.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Small Things Inc., a Warwick-based non-profit that shares kindness locally through community-supported giving. Donations can be sent to Small Things at 5 Linden Place, Warwick or online at https://www.smallthingsincgives.org/
Arrangements were entrusted to Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY. To send an online condolence, visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com