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Mostly Cloudy Farewell to hero firefighter Thousands say goodbye to fireman Kevin O'Rourke of Hewlett
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One of the fallen heroes in the World Trade Center calamity was brought home to Cedarhurst on Friday as thousands bid a final farewell to Firefighter Kevin O'Rourke.
More than 2,000 mourners packed into St. Joachim R.C. Church on Central Avenue Sept. 28. Those who couldn't squeeze in lined the street outside. Family, colleagues, friends and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani eulogized O'Rourke as a true hero, who put the safety of others in front of his own security as he dashed into Tower One after it was crashed into by suicidal airplane hijackers.
Among the more than 300 firefighters and 5, 219 victims overall, O'Rourke's was one of the bodies rescue workers had recovered amid the tons of rubble and steel at the Twin Towers.
One of the expressions that we've been hearing from Kevin's family the past few days ... are that our prayers were answered. We got Kevin home, the Rev. Paul F. Rahilly, pastor at St. Joachim, said during his homily.
Rahilly then turned his attention to the reason for the sad gathering, the insanity of the terrorists' actions. We have come here today because of hatred, we've come here because of violence, and sadly we've come here because some people dare to have the audacity to use the name of God and death in the same breath, Rahilly said.
He said O'Rourke, who was brought up in a very good, Irish Catholic home, where he learned his lessons of hard work and a strong faith, was a martyr who gave his life to save others.
Many of those who attended the Mass of Christian Burial were members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department and the Hewlett Fire Department. O'Rourke worked as a volunteer firefighter for L-CFD for seven years, from 1975 to 1982, and later became a member of the Hewlett department after he moved to Hewlett. As a New York City firefighter, he was a respected member of Rescue Co. 2 in Brooklyn.
He was an excellent guy and an excellent personality, said Capt. Michael Ehlers of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst department. He knew what he was doing. He did his job and he did it well.
Chief Edward Koehler, also of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, said O'Rourke's helmet number was 261, and each time he assisted at a fire scene, he wrote the number with his soot-covered glove at the scene. He was a great guy, Koehler said. You couldn't ask for a better guy.
Lt. John Cullen of Engine Co. 235 in Manhattan knew O'Rourke for 20 years and worked with him in Squad One. Kevin was one of the quietest guys in the firehouse, but when he went into a fire, he was a superstar, Cullen said.
Kevin showed that firefighting is not a job, it's a career, it's a calling.
Giuliani has been urging citizens to attend funerals and memorial services for all firefighters lost in the Twin Towers massacre because of the vast number of victims and because firefighters and city officials could not make it to all of them. Five Towners apparently heeded that call in a final tribute to O'Rourke, as dozens lined up outside the church listening to the eulogies broadcast through two large speakers set up outside.
Although the mayor said the toll on human life was enormous Sept. 11, he said about 25,000 others are alive today because of the efforts of O'Rourke and his fellow firefighters, police officers and emergency workers who helped evacuate the buildings and rescue victims.
If that's any consolation, at least they didn't die in vain, the mayor said of the firefighters.
And he said, to show O'Rourke's children Jamie and Corinne what a hero their father was, he asked those in attendance to show their appreciation with applause, and they did so with a standing ovation that lasted about a minute.
Eulogies were then delivered by O'Rourke's brother, Dennis, and sister, Patricia O'Keefe, who said she is comforted that he sacrificed his life for others doing what he loved best.
Capt. Phil Ruvolo of Rescue Co. 2, who worked with O'Rourke for the last 12 years, painted a picture of a courageous, selfless, compassionate man who helped fix the bicycles of neighborhood youth outside the firehouse.
Corinne O'Rourke, 21, said I thought my father was the greatest firefighter ... He knew what his job was and he did it right to the end. Everyone told me how much of a hero my dad was. That's why I brought him to show and tell from pre-K to the sixth grade, she said, momentarily breaking the sorrow as she got a rise out of the mourners. My dad will always be my hero.
To his fellow firefighters, she said, My dad will always be there for you. When it gets really hot, just think of him and he will show you the way out.
Besides his daughters, brother and sister, O'Rourke is also survived by his wife, Maryann, and parents Dennis and Hannah.
With the mournful strains of the bagpipers playing God Bless America, the casket containing O'Rourke's body was placed upon a Lawrence-Cedarhurst fire truck and taken to his final resting place at Greenfield Cemetery in Hempstead.
More than 2,000 mourners packed into St. Joachim R.C. Church on Central Avenue Sept. 28. Those who couldn't squeeze in lined the street outside. Family, colleagues, friends and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani eulogized O'Rourke as a true hero, who put the safety of others in front of his own security as he dashed into Tower One after it was crashed into by suicidal airplane hijackers.
Among the more than 300 firefighters and 5, 219 victims overall, O'Rourke's was one of the bodies rescue workers had recovered amid the tons of rubble and steel at the Twin Towers.
One of the expressions that we've been hearing from Kevin's family the past few days ... are that our prayers were answered. We got Kevin home, the Rev. Paul F. Rahilly, pastor at St. Joachim, said during his homily.
Rahilly then turned his attention to the reason for the sad gathering, the insanity of the terrorists' actions. We have come here today because of hatred, we've come here because of violence, and sadly we've come here because some people dare to have the audacity to use the name of God and death in the same breath, Rahilly said.
He said O'Rourke, who was brought up in a very good, Irish Catholic home, where he learned his lessons of hard work and a strong faith, was a martyr who gave his life to save others.
Many of those who attended the Mass of Christian Burial were members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department and the Hewlett Fire Department. O'Rourke worked as a volunteer firefighter for L-CFD for seven years, from 1975 to 1982, and later became a member of the Hewlett department after he moved to Hewlett. As a New York City firefighter, he was a respected member of Rescue Co. 2 in Brooklyn.
He was an excellent guy and an excellent personality, said Capt. Michael Ehlers of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst department. He knew what he was doing. He did his job and he did it well.
Chief Edward Koehler, also of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, said O'Rourke's helmet number was 261, and each time he assisted at a fire scene, he wrote the number with his soot-covered glove at the scene. He was a great guy, Koehler said. You couldn't ask for a better guy.
Lt. John Cullen of Engine Co. 235 in Manhattan knew O'Rourke for 20 years and worked with him in Squad One. Kevin was one of the quietest guys in the firehouse, but when he went into a fire, he was a superstar, Cullen said.
Kevin showed that firefighting is not a job, it's a career, it's a calling.
Giuliani has been urging citizens to attend funerals and memorial services for all firefighters lost in the Twin Towers massacre because of the vast number of victims and because firefighters and city officials could not make it to all of them. Five Towners apparently heeded that call in a final tribute to O'Rourke, as dozens lined up outside the church listening to the eulogies broadcast through two large speakers set up outside.
Although the mayor said the toll on human life was enormous Sept. 11, he said about 25,000 others are alive today because of the efforts of O'Rourke and his fellow firefighters, police officers and emergency workers who helped evacuate the buildings and rescue victims.
If that's any consolation, at least they didn't die in vain, the mayor said of the firefighters.
And he said, to show O'Rourke's children Jamie and Corinne what a hero their father was, he asked those in attendance to show their appreciation with applause, and they did so with a standing ovation that lasted about a minute.
Eulogies were then delivered by O'Rourke's brother, Dennis, and sister, Patricia O'Keefe, who said she is comforted that he sacrificed his life for others doing what he loved best.
Capt. Phil Ruvolo of Rescue Co. 2, who worked with O'Rourke for the last 12 years, painted a picture of a courageous, selfless, compassionate man who helped fix the bicycles of neighborhood youth outside the firehouse.
Corinne O'Rourke, 21, said I thought my father was the greatest firefighter ... He knew what his job was and he did it right to the end. Everyone told me how much of a hero my dad was. That's why I brought him to show and tell from pre-K to the sixth grade, she said, momentarily breaking the sorrow as she got a rise out of the mourners. My dad will always be my hero.
To his fellow firefighters, she said, My dad will always be there for you. When it gets really hot, just think of him and he will show you the way out.
Besides his daughters, brother and sister, O'Rourke is also survived by his wife, Maryann, and parents Dennis and Hannah.
With the mournful strains of the bagpipers playing God Bless America, the casket containing O'Rourke's body was placed upon a Lawrence-Cedarhurst fire truck and taken to his final resting place at Greenfield Cemetery in Hempstead.
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