|
Eric loved to build things and
was quite a carpenter. He also had a gentler side showing an artistic touch with an
airbrush and stained glass. He
loved to collect classic cars and work with engines.
On September 11, 2001, Eric had several vehicles in various stages
of restoration.
Eric worked on the 1962 Ford
truck at the station of Ladder 15 on South Street in Lower Manhattan.
Under the guidance of Eric’s mechanical talents, new life was
injected into the old Ford. His
skills were evident when the MTFD firefighters fired up the old Ford.
It had been sitting for eight months, but started on the second
try. The healthy purr of the
motor was a fitting tribute to the skill and love Eric had already put
into it. When he wasn’t
working on the truck, it was parked across the street, under the FDR
Parkway. That’s where the MTFD volunteers picked it up in September
of 2002.
Eric’s family and several New
York City firefighters were looking for someone to restore the truck so it
could become a moving tribute to all of the firefighters who died on 9/11.
It was a perfect match with them and the volunteers from MTFD.
So the project was begun. It
has been said that Eric had a wonderful personality and an ability to
bring people together. Even
in tragedy, he continues to bring people together.
Over the past year, a closeness has developed between Eric’s
family and friends and the MTFD volunteers and their families.
The
old Ford, dubbed ‘Engine 911’, will carry a tribute to all of the
firefighters who perished on that day, and will remind those who see it of
friends they always had, but never knew.
Back
to History Index Page
Back
to Home Page |
