By Linda Delmonico-Prussen
The couple researched the many charities to which they could lend a hand. Brian's father, Ed Sweeney, has a friend with a disabled child, and his thoughts kept returning to helping disabled children with complex health-care needs. The Sweeneys quickly realized they would have to create such a charity on their own, after they couldn't find one, and the Brian E. Sweeney Memorial Fund was born.
The fund is designed to help families purchase equipment or services necessary for technology-dependent children that might
not be covered by Medicaid or other insurance. Sweeney explained that a child, because of a respiratory problem, might need air-conditioning. "Insurance," Sweeney said, "might pay for one in the bedroom, but not the family room. The child becomes a prisoner in the bedroom." He said that, in such a case, "You're helping the family; indirectly, you're helping the child."
He also said there are cases in which, as children grow older, stairs in homes need to be replaced with ramps. The fund would provide monies directly to the provider of such services; most times, it would not offer funds to the family directly.
Lynn Sweeney and Matthew Sweeney, Brian's brother and sister, also assist their father and mother, Mary Ann, with the fund. Helping others comes naturally to the Sweeneys, and it is a trait that Ed Sweeney remembers in Brian. "He helped all his friends," his dad said. "Brian was a very can-do type of guy. He was a sincere, caring individual."
Brian, who was 29 when he was killed, was studying for the
New York City Fire Department's lieutenant's test, which he planned to take in October 2001. A member of Rescue 1 for a month, he had served as the Web master for Squad 288, where he was stationed before Sept. 11. On the day of the attacks, he was actually working overtime at Squad 288.
Brian Sweeney had considered returning to school to nurture the knack he had for computers. When he wasn't studying, his dad said, "He liked to go out and have fun with his friends." He skied well, and his father said, "He took to snowboarding in a couple of days." Other sports activities that Brian Sweeney enjoyed ran like a laundry list of popular extreme sports, including mountain biking, rock climbing and scuba diving.
Mr. Sweeney, it seems, reached his decision to become a city firefighter at an early age. Even before out of diapers, as a toddler, he sported a toy firefighting helmet, his family said.
Financial support for the Brian E. Sweeney Memorial Fund comes from individuals, organizations and various fund-raising activities. The sale of T-shirts also generates money for the fund. The logotype on the T-shirt is of an eagle with one wing as an American flag and one as an Irish flag. The eagle was a tattoo on Brian's back, and it was the one piece of identification that made it possible for Brian to be brought home to his family.
When identifying Sept. 11 victims, the New York City medical examiner wanted three pieces of positive ID. For Brian, there were two -- the name in his coat and the wallet in his pocket -- but he lacked a third. The Eagle provided the third piece. As Ed Sweeney said, "The eagle brought him home." Now Ed and Mary Ann Sweeney hope the eagle, by way of the Brian E. Sweeney Fund, can help others.
After the attacks, Brian Sweeney was missing until miraculously found at ground zero in December last year.
In the beginning after Sept. 11, the Sweeneys said they felt an overwhelming sense of grief. But, said Ed Sweeney, "I think what will help us is making distributions" from the memorial fund. The Sweeneys are obtaining a "wish list" from the Association for Technology Dependent Children in Suffolk County, which they hope to fulfill soon. "It will be nice to know we're helping families out. Race, color, creed mean nothing. If we can help just a little tiny bit, if some good can come from this horrific mess [for which] Brian gave his life, if we can do something positive for children, I say do it."
To learn more about the Brian E. Sweeney Memorial Fund, or to order a T-shirt, click on www.Briansfund.com.
