In Praise of FDNY Heroes

By Mary Majors

My name is Mary and I live in Fresno, California. During the weekend of December 8, 2001, the Pelco Company hosted 1,150 of your FDNY and NYPD heroes (to dedicate a memorial to the fallen of September 11). I was honored to meet, or at least shake hands with, at least a couple hundred of them.

I went to see an Elton John concert Friday night. That was quite an event I had been looking forward to for several weeks. At the concert I noticed a couple of FDNY guys there. I walked up to them and told them I was so honored to be able to thank them in person and to express my condolences and deepest sympathies for their losses. They seemed touched that I would stop and tell them that. Especially while Elton was singing!

After the concert, I was coming home with my date when we decided to stop for a beer at a local brewing company. We saw what appeared to be a couple hundred FDNY guys inside and out in the parking lot hanging out and drinking beer. I was so thrilled that I think I scared my date! He decided not to stop and just to take me home. I was a little upset, but decided about 5 minutes after being home that I was going back out to meet these brave men.

I have never gone out to a bar like that alone on a Friday night. But bound and determined to shake hands and give hugs with these guys, I went. That night is a night I will NEVER forget. These guys were so appreciative of mine and many other local people's gratitude and sentiments. I met so many nice guys. There was Randy from Long Island, Tony from Brooklyn, Al from the LAFD and Brad from the Clovis Fire Dept. Randy was going to go see a Raider game Sunday . . . A couple of other nice FDNY were going to head up to Yosemite and San Fransisco Sunday and Monday.

Knowing the pain these guys have been suffering, it was so great to see them letting loose and having fun! They deserved it. . .

Saturday I took my children out to the memorial dedication for which Pelco had flown these men and women. They got a heroes welcome . . . everyone was clapping and cheering as they stepped out of the busses in their dress blues. What a sharp looking bunch. The dedication was beautiful. It was very moving.

After the dedication, the honored guests didn't jump back on the busses to leave. They hung out and signed autographs. Both of my children got to shake hands with these guys. I took a whole roll of film. It was a day my children and I will never forget.

I have to tell you . . . seeing Elton John was extremely cool, but meeting the men and women of FDNY was the highlight of my weekend, probably my whole year!

One more note . . . I have two firefighter brothers. One is retired and has a website called Firefighter Exchange (this one). The other is a Captain with the CDF. I have always been proud to tell people that. Never more proud than now . . .

This morning I went to the Firefighter Exchange website and I read the letter from Firefighter Dunn. While reading it, I could here the accents and voices of some of the FDNY men I met yesterday. I could easily visualize faces and uniforms of these men. Mr Dunn, thank you for sharing that story with us.

God Bless all of you brave heroes . . .

Mary C. Majors
Fresno, California

Copyright 2001 by Mary C. Majors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission of the author.