Ed Koch, the larger-than-life politician who rescued the city from near-financial ruin during a three-term City Hall run, died of congestive heart failure Friday, Feb. 1, at the age of 88. 

Here, New Yorkers — from politicians to reporters to friends, family and voters — share their reflections on the former mayor's life and legacy:  

Angele Kassar Ekert: "I saw Mayor Koch walking down 52nd Street in NYC one day in the late 80s....a couple of tourists yelled to him from across the street 'Mayor Koch, we love you!' He yelled 'Wait, what did you say?' To which they repeated those praises He 'pretended' not to hear them and asked them to say it two more times, each time they yelled louder, to which he responded 'Oh that's what I thought you said!'"

Rafael Armstrong: "I didn't live in the city while he was mayor, but I was at a business lunch on the East Side in the late '90s, and I remember looking over and seeing him at lunch a few tables over. There was an energy and a charisma to the man, even after being out of office all those years."

Alice Benjamin: "My favorite moment was when my son's Boy Scout Troup led the parade down Ninth Avenue, and the mayor was right in front of them. He made it a point to shake hands with all the Scouts and say hello! I'll miss him -- he was a character!!"

Avala Maneeram: "I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Koch when I was a little girl. He came to my school and talked to us about being active participants in our community. I was only 7, but I remember him as being so warm and friendly and had a general enthusiasm for N.Y that was infectious. He will truly be missed."

President Barack Obama: "Ed Koch was an extraordinary mayor, irrepressible character, and quintessential New Yorker. He took office at a time when New York was in fiscal crisis, and helped his city achieve economic renewal, expand affordable housing, and extend opportunity to more of its people. In public office and beyond, his energy, force of personality, and commitment to causes ranging from civic issues to the security of the state of Israel always informed and enlivened the public discourse. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Ed’s loved ones, and to the city that survives him."

Mayor Bloomberg: "In elected office and as a private citizen, he was our most tireless, fearless, and guileless civic crusader. Through his tough, determined leadership and responsible fiscal stewardship, Ed helped lift the city out of its darkest days and set it on course for an incredible comeback. We will miss him dearly, but his good works – and his wit and wisdom – will forever be a part of the city he loved so much."   

The Rev. Al Sharpton: "Although we argued about everything from my marching in Bensonhurst, to Florida and Trayvon Martin, and although we disagreed on politics from his views on President Obama to other matters, I have found that he was never a phony or a hypocrite. He would not patronize or deceive you. He said what he meant. He meant what he said. He fought for what he believed.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "Mr. Mayor was never one to shy away from taking a stand that he believed was right, no matter what the polls said or what was politically correct ... I will miss his friendship, and we will all miss his perpetual optimism and tireless commitment to continually striving to improve our city, state, nation and world." 

Sen. Charles Schumer: "New Yorkers were particularly proud of Mayor Koch because he was so proud of New York. Every atom in his body lived, breathed, spoke and exuded the city. He helped save the city and, perhaps most important of all, gave it confidence when it was beginning to doubt itself, which helped pave the way for the growth and prosperity we're still experiencing today. Every New Yorker will miss Ed Koch, and his towering presence."

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly: "In many ways Ed Koch never stopped being mayor. He was personally engaged in the issues of the day ... I was privileged to consider him a friend and I am grateful that I had a few more times to be with him, on Tuesday and again last night, before he finally left New York for someplace better - although he'd probably argue that's not possible." 

Rep. Charlie Rangel: "New Yorkers will forever remember Mayor Koch standing by subway cars each morning to greet his fellow neighbors, giving a face to the city they cherished. However, I will never forget Ed as the incredible man he was, who never left my side through times of need." 

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman: "As a lifelong New Yorker, it's hard to imagine this city without Ed Koch. We will miss his keen mind, sharp wit, and absolute devotion to making a great city the best in the world. While we mourn his loss, we know that the legacy of his mayoralty, his commitment to civil rights and affordable housing, and his civic leadership long after he left City Hall, will live on for generations."

Manhattan DA Cy Vance: “New York would not be the safest big city in America today if Ed Koch hadn’t spearheaded one of the most important criminal justice reforms in New York City’s history as mayor: selecting criminal court judges based on merit instead of political connections. Every New Yorker has the right to walk the streets of our city without fear and all New Yorkers deserve equal access to justice. We’d be far, far further from these goals today if not for Mayor Ed Koch’s foresight and vision and courage." 

Rep. Peter King: "Ed Koch was a true friend and trusted adviser. Ed Koch personified the spirit of New York. New York’s 'Mayor for Life' is now New York’s 'Mayor for Eternity.' May he rest in peace.”

In early October 1978, less than a year into the first of his three terms as mayor of New York, Ed Koch appeared before millions on national TV, delivering the opening monologue during the fourth-season premiere of "Saturday Night Live."

Former Mayor Edward Koch praised the current leaders of New York, Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg, for "doing a fantastic job."

Koch told me: "By bracing New Yorkers in advance of the storm, they avoided unnecessary stress. New Yorkers were prepared for what would happen. And the governor and the mayor  were absolutely right in shutting down the subway system before the storm. It was necessary to protect the equipment and it helped to keep the city calm."
     
Hank Sheinkopf, a political analyst who has observed the New York political scene for more than four decades, agreed. "This was the worst disaster," he told me. "And these two leaders stood up like rocks. Bloomberg has been the field commander, Cuomo helped harness all the officials necessary to help the city in this time of need. Both are to be admired. Those who lead us in tough times are the ones we remember."

Sheinkopf said the destruction in the Rockaways and Breezy Point is undoubtedly related to climate change. This is a city with significant financial burdens but the great news is that New Yorkers never stop being resilient." He noted that, in his lifetime we've lived through devastating crime waves, the stock market crash of 1987, the devastating attack on the World Trade Center. He said the one constant in all of our history has been change -- and the ability to deal with it.
       
"I guess," he said, "it toughens you up. We are a unique breed. It's the New York gene. If something bad happens, we see extraordinary acts of kindness and bravery, even when it seems we are most alone. We live in a cultural capital, soon to be a high-tech capital. We are a very extraordinary community. Our firefighters rush into danger and so do our cops. It's the New York gene."

Clearly, for these New Yorkers, there is a sense of pride in our power to deal with change and adversity. Susan Lerner of Common Cause told me that officials of federal, state and local governments deserve credit for "pulling together" in a time of adversity. She said that Cuomo's comments about the need to plan for the future were right on target. "It's good to see that someone is looking ahead."

Lerner thinks that Cuomo and Bloomberg have "done an inspiring job of holding the city together."

 An historian, Harold Holzer, recalled that former Gov. Mario Cuomo had said that "we need government do all the things we can't do for ourselves." Said Holzer: "We need rock-solid leadership and, in this situation, we have it."  Holzer told me he believed "a star was born here." He was referring to Joe Lhota, chairman of the MTA. Holzer told me that Lhota's steady hand and leadership qualities had emerged in this crisis and he would be a bulwark of the city in days to come.

 If there is a common denominator in what all these New Yorkers feel, it's a sense of pride. Adversity seems to make us stronger and, ultimately, prouder.

Ed Koch might be 86 years old, but he plans on sticking around for awhile -- at least as long as there's talk that one day, state lawmakers might approve a toll on the newly re-named Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.

"I'll stand there like Horatio preventing it," quipped the former three-term mayor, who schmoozed with former Mayor David Dinkins and the current occupant of City Hall, Michael Bloomberg, at a Water Club reception Thursday night.

Mayor Bloomberg pushed the City Council to rename the 102-year old span, bestowing an unusual honor upon a still-living former mayor.

"We all stand, Ed, on your shoulders," Bloomberg said.

He told the crowd the bridge linking Manhattan's East Side to Long Island City is "a real workhorse, just like Ed."

Bloomberg also told NBC New York that taxpayers don't need to worry about the cost of replacing signs.

Private donations are covering that expense.

Convincing New Yorkers to use the new name is another matter.

"Not that Ed Koch isn't relevant," said Alexis Saraga, who was walking home from work on Second Avenue, near the bridge. "But he's not prevalent in my day-to-day life as a New Yorker. This bridge will always be the Queensboro Bridge to me."

Koch said he's not offended by any initial reluctance. With emphasis on initial.

"That's normal," he said. "But it will ultimately catch on because I'll be shouting it everywhere I go."

Former Mayor Ed Koch, who endorsed a Republican congressional candidate in New York as a way to "send a message" to President Obama on his policies toward Israel, now says he supports the president.

Koch told NBC New York that he is "back on the Obama Express Bus for re-election" after hearing his speech last week to the U.N.

"He has convinced me that he is very supportive of the state of Israel," Koch said. "His speech at the U.N. in support of Israel was extraordinary... I couldn't have made a better one myself."

Obama, in his speech, declared there was no shortcut to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and forcefully defended his opposition to the Palestinian plan to seek statehood recognition from the U.N. Security Council.

"Any mistrust, any doubts, have disappeared," Koch said. "I'm fully satisfied with the president's actions as they relate to Israel."

Koch, a Democrat, crossed party lines to endorse Republican Bob Turner in the special election earlier this month that was held to fill the seat vacated by disgraced Rep. Anthony Weiner.

Israel became a major policy debate in the election, and Turner beat his Democratic opponent, becoming the first Republican elected in the district.

Koch said he notified the White House of his change of heart, and said Tuesday he is prepared to campaign for Obama.

"I have shoes and will travel to Florida or any place they want to go," Koch said.

Former Mayor William O’Dwyer once said: “I wouldn’t wish this job on my worst enemy.”

Yet in many ways he was his own worst enemy.  While he represented a breath of fresh air and hope after the rather grim days of World War II,  he had his ups and downs, as did many of his successors. I have covered nine mayors in my journalistic career and I never found one who didn’t try hard to do a good job for New York and its citizens. And most found the job a lot tougher than they expected..

I had the greatest respect for Robert Wagner Jr.,  son of the senator who helped found Roosevelt’s New Deal . He was perhaps the most modest mayor I ever chronicled.  As he told me: “My father told me -- if you ever feel you don’t want the job remember there are a hundred other guys out there who would be happy to have it.”  Wagner’s patience and kindness made him skillful in handling bitter labor disputes and soothing people’s feelings.

John Lindsay, son of an actress, was the most charismatic. When he walked the streets of Harlem to reach out to people in the tumultuous sixties he was most effective. African-Americans trusted him. They were convinced he understood their pain, particularly after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr,

Recently, for a joint NBC New York-NYC Media project called “Mr. Mayor” I interviewed three living former mayors.  Despite the troubles they had, each looked back with nostalgia at the job. 

“I say if one likes public service and likes people," said former Mayor David Dinkins, "This is the greatest job in the world.”

Rudy Giuliani found 9/11 to be his greatest challenge and he was proud of the way he handled it. When he looked back at the days when he was considering whether or not to run for mayor, he remembered saying to himself: “If I became Mayor, maybe I could straighten this out. I know everything that’s wrong with this city. Maybe, if I got a chance to be mayor, I could change it. And I said, 'Nah, I can’t be mayor. I’m a Republican!' ”     

Ed Koch told me: “Being mayor was the best thing in my whole professional life. There was nothing like being mayor of the city of New York. You are responsible for seven, ultimately eight million people and their lives and making it better for them and I loved it. I enjoyed every minute of it.”

[“Meet the Mayor” will be on NBC Non-Stop on eight consecutive Sundays starting at 8 P.M.] 

Former Mayor Ed Koch, leader of the New York Uprising, a group that fought for reform of the Legislature , said mournfully today that the effort at reform had failed.
        
“In the light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision,” he told me, “this crusade is dead.”
         
Koch had made a fundamental change in the re-districting  process the centerpiece of  his program for reform. Every 10 years, the U.S. Census releases new population figures for cities and counties around the state. These figures are supposed to be the basis for new lines for legislative and Congressional districts.
         
Koch wanted decisions on how these maps should be revised left to the courts. 

But, last Friday,  the Supreme Court rejected election maps drawn by a federal court in Texas. In effect, this lower court ruled the Legislature had the ultimate authority in determining the boundaries of election districts. The ruling enables political bosses or leaders to decide what, if anything, to do about re-drawing district lines.
        
This would enable continuance of the practice of gerrymandering -- that is drawing districts in odd shapes  to ensure that incumbents retain their seats.
         
“It’s terrible, but guaranteed,”  Koch said, “that gerrymandering will continue. You can’t  fight the Supreme Court. Their decision will make the political bosses happy but make true reform of the Legislature’s election process impossible.
           
“It’s very sad,” said Koch. “It’s tragic.”
           
Governor Andrew Cuomo had threatened to veto any proposal for re-districting that was made by legislators rather than an independent commission. But the Governor’s threat seems empty now. The high court has laid down the law -- and an independent commission is not in accord with the Supreme Court’s wishes.
             
An effort, spurred by Koch to create such an independent commission, has languished in the Assembly. The Republican-controlled Senate has a feeble bill that hasn’t been acted upon. It would delay re-districting until 2022!

As Koch told me,   “no bill has been introduced that outlaws gerrymandering. It’s very destructive of our political system. I’ve been called on to bless whatever the Legislature does. Who can believe them? I’ve worked too hard walking those long corridors in Albany to believe these guys.  
              
“And the Supreme Court is a disappointment.”
              
Indeed. It’s easy to understand the chagrin of New York’s 105th mayor. Despite the multiple scandals, the disillusionment of the voters, an effort to reform Albany seems to have died. Koch wrote the obituary.

”It makes me so sad,” he said. “I really thought we had a good chance of achieving real reform.”