Sunday, September 10, 2006
September 11, 2001 - Boy just that date says soo much doesn't it?? There are so many dates and events we remember in our lives but this one day, this one date is one that I think almost everyone will always remember. It's the day our entire world changed. I remember it more clearly than so many other momentous days in my life. I was on my way to work - running late from dropping the boys off at preschool -- it was their second week there and we were still adjusting...
As an EMT and federal employee I was to participate in a WMD exercise that day -- boy was I ever!!! Nothing could have prepared me for just how much I was to participate that day and since. But as much as MY life changed that day so many others had their lives changed too...
I joined "The 2,996 Project" because I have friends whose lives were directly forever changed even if mine wasn't... When I joined my person to remember was randomly assigned to me - imagine my joy at receiving a firefighter!! Not only did I receive someone who's daily job it was to be a hero and take risks but in the end he made the ultimate sacrifice making him one of the greatest heros of all... I want to honor the memory of this hero and celebrate his life...
History books will say things like -- On September 11, 2001, four U.S. planes hijacked by terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania killing nearly 3,000 people in a matter of hours. Behind the staggering number of deaths are the individuals, each of whom left behind family, friends and co-workers who feel the national tragedy on a personal level... But they won't tell you all the individual stories so it's up to those left behind that aren't going to forget - people like me - a member of The 2,996 Project... Here's a little about one of those individuals...
Capt Joseph Farrelly
Cpt Farrelly, 47, was a firefighter with the NY Fire Department, Engine Company 4, Ladder 15. It is believed that his company was one of the first to respond to the WTC North Tower on 9/11. That was his job and he did it proudly. One news article/memorial I read about him had the headline “He was “a born firefighter”. Another said “firefighting was this captain's dream job”. He was also no stranger to terror at the WTC. He’d been there before - he was hospitalized with smoke inhalation after a terrorist's bomb exploded at the World Trade Center in 1993. Mr. Farrelly accepted it as part of the job. "He always wanted to be a fireman, and always wanted to be a New York City fireman. That was like the ultimate for him," Mrs. Farrelly said.But Joe Farrelly was MORE then just a firefighter – he was a son, brother, husband and father – it’s THAT Joe Farrelly I learned the most about in my research. It was that Joe Farrelly I connected with as a fellow parent... Joe loved kids and he loved romance. Even after 25 yrs of marriage he still left love notes and flowers just because for Stacey, his wife – in fact he left a note for her Sept 10th as he went to work – it read ““I can’t begin to tell you how much I love you. Words are inadequate. Already I can’t wait toget home”. She’s kept them all. The last note he wrote is now framed in their home. One family friend is quoted saying “"Joe made it a point to make her happy, I used to tease her all the time and call her the queen. He treated her that way. He dedicated his life to making her happy." Chivalrous describes him well – he opened doors for his wife, washed dishes after supper, planned romantic getaways and even warmed her car for her on cold days. Together they had wonderful, loving home. T hey were foster parents to neglected and crack addicted babies for 10 years before starting a family of their own. They took in newborns and nursed them through their addictions, returning them after six months to foster or adoptive parents. Stacey Farrelly said her husband loved the babies. "He used to like doing the nighttimes," his wife said. " He would talk to them and tell them not to worry, that they would have a good life." The Farrelly’s also have 3 children of their own, 2 boys, Ryan now 24, Devin now 23, and a daughter, Juliann now 16. Joe was an assistant Boy Scout leader when the boys were younger and was active in the PS 3 and Totten Intermediate School PTAs, forever hanging decorations from the classroom ceilings. He took pride in his knowledge of fire prevention and shared it with children on the South Shore. He was known as "Fireman Joe" to students at PS 3, where he taught children "not to be a afraid of the men in the masks." From all that I have read about Capt Joseph Farrelly he led a life and left a legacy that I can only hope mine will come close to. I can imagine that he is sorely missed in ways that I can’t even begin to imagine by his family and friends. I will continue to remember them and all the victims of 9/11 – both those still here and those we have lost. THANK YOU CAPT FARRELLY for all you did while you were here and thank you to his parents, wife and children for sharing him with us while he was here. I hope my small tribute written here does your son, husband, father a small amount of justice and that your sorrow is somewhat eased knowing what a wonderful man the entire world knows he was.
Information obtained from the following links -
http://www.legacy.com/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=145290
http://www.silive.com/september11/lr/index.ssf?/september11/lr/farrelly.html
http://cf.newsday.com/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1127
