Blog | Better Angels

Lt. Peter Freund

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Lt. Peter Freund, 45, loved astronomy. He had built an observatory in his backyard, complete with a retractable roof and a camera on his telescope. Living in farm country upstate New York, (a 2-hour commute from Engine 55), he and his wife would spend evenings star-gazing to a Grateful Dead soundtrack. This father of four had 23 years with the FDNY. On the side he coached his kids in football, baseball, and softball. He’d first met his wife back in high school when he was a star football player and she was a cheerleader, but they went separate ways for 14 years before they met anew and married.

He had recently been planning a career change. A week after 9/11, his family received his acceptance letter to teach high school mathematics upstate where they lived.

Freund’s remains were recovered in Stairwell B of the North Tower on 10/21. His cousin, Tim McSweeney of Ladder 3 was also a 9/11 fatality.

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, Engine Co. 55, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, LODD, Manhattan, memorial, NFFF, paintings, Peter Freund, portraits, World Trade Center, WTC | 1 Comment

Firefighter Robert McMahon

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Robert McMahon, 35, never had a chance to meet his second son who was born in January 2002, although he had recently finished renovating their home preparing for his arrival. He had met his wife while volunteering at a camp for children with cancer. McMahon was a man of many interests and seemed always in motion. “I used to call him MacGyver,” said a friend, “because he pretty much could do anything. If he didn’t know how to do something, he would do it anyway, and he would do it really well.”

This 9-year FDNY veteran was also working towards a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a focus on painting and photography. Ladder Co. 20 is located on the border of Little Italy and SoHo, Manhattan’s premier arts district at the time. He loved where he was and his access to both good art and good food. He knew the best local vendors for fresh mozzarella or ravioli and GQ once featured his lasagna recipe. “You’ve got to use fresh Italian parsley,” he said. “It’s the fresh ingredients women love.”

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, Ladder Co. 20, LODD, Manhattan, memorial, NFFF, paintings, portraits, Robert McMahon, World Trade Center, WTC | 2 Comments

Firefighter Robert Linnane

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Robert Linnane, 33, still a probationary firefighter, had passed the rigorous FDNY exams after he turned 30. Before joining up, he had spent nearly a decade working for Delta Airlines and was well known for taking full advantage of the flying perks. He traveled the world and made friends everywhere. He much preferred to see a country through the eyes of the locals. Outgoing and easygoing, Linnane was often invited to stay a few days with the people he met on his travels. Later many of them would visit him in New York where he could return the favor.

His remains were found just before Thanksgiving and were identified by the Grateful Dead tattoo on his ankle.

Firefighter David LaForge

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

David LaForge, 50, had also just finished the night shift that morning, but he was still at the firehouse when the call came in. As always, he’s the one who hopped behind the wheel and drove Ladder 20 to the World Trade Center. LaForge had honed his rig maneuvering skills by driving an 18-wheeler moving van around the country while he waited to be called up. As a young boy, he pedaled his toy fire engine all around the house. “He was like Dale Earnhardt,” said the guy who steered the back of the ladder truck. “He liked to go fast,” said his sister.

He was last reported seen on the 35^th floor of the North Tower helping in the evacuation.

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, David LaForge, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, Ladder Co. 20, LODD, Manhattan, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | Leave a comment

Firefighter Sean Hanley

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Sean Hanley, 35, came from generations of firefighters: both grandfathers, his father and his brother had been with the FDNY. With five years in the department, Hanley had a reputation as a prankster around Ladder Co. 20, with gags like shaving cream on the phone. This big man (6’4”) had finished the night shift that morning and was driving to midtown to see a friend when he heard about the WTC attack on the radio. He turned around and drove south to the Trade Centers. Like so many others off duty, his choice was to respond. He had become a firefighter because “he really wanted to help people.”

Firefighter James Gray

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

James Gray, 34, drove a NYC bus for six years while waiting to be called up. “He wanted the action,” said his wife. Following his father into the department, he became a firefighter in 1996. He was studying for his Lieutenant’s test that September and working overtime on the morning of 9/11. Gray left behind two daughters, 8 and 6, whom he called at 7:30 that morning to wish them a good day at school. The men of Ladder Co. 20 were last reported seen around the 35^th floor of Tower One.

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, James Gray, Ladder Co. 20, LODD, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | 2 Comments

Firefighter John Burnside

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Firefighter John Burnside of Ladder 20 was 36 years old. and a 7-year FDNY veteran. He was a NYC police officer for 3 years while waiting for his chance to join the FDNY. “Johnny the Gent” told his wife: “How many people do you know who are truly satisfied and fulfilled in the profession they choose? I am, and that’s a gift.” He was actively preparing to take the Lieutenant’s exam. A fellow firefighter called him “mistake-free.” “When you checked in the morning and you knew John was working, it was going to be a good day.”

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, John Burnside, Ladder Co. 20, LODD, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | Leave a comment

Capt. John Fischer

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

John Fischer, 46 was posthumously promoted to Captain on September 17th. This father of three “was always coaching.” He never particularly cared if the teams won, but that everyone had a chance to play and that the lessons of good sportsmanship were learned. He also had a well-deserved reputation as a chef, both in the firehouse and at home where he often hosted as many as 60 family members for holiday dinners.

Battalion 2 will be completed with the addition of Ladder 20, also called the “Soho Trucking Company.” Based with Rescue 6 and the Division 1 HQ and located just a half mile from the WTC site, they were one of the first companies to respond. Ladder 20 lost seven men that day.

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Capt. John Fischer, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, Ladder Co. 20, LODD, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | Leave a comment

Lt. Vincent Halloran

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Lt. Vincent Halloran of Ladder 8 loved children and was the father of six, although the last one wasn’t born until after he was gone. I believe that between them, the 343 firefighters of Better Angels left behind 602 children. Halloran’s love of children was well known and his second job was taking care of them. He wife said he ran the house “like a camp.” When he took his kids camping, he asked each to bring a friend so five would turn to ten. In the summer, they would host children from Ireland. “He just loved kids.”

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters of 9/11, Ladder Co. 8, LODD, Lt. Vincent Halloran, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | Leave a comment

Firefighter Gregory Saucedo

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Dawn Siebel

Gregory Saucedo, 31, was the bench-press champ of Ladder 5. This 10-year FDNY veteran was also an avid and tireless runner who spent his last hour sprinting up and down the stairs of the North Tower aiding victims. He was working with Lt. Giammona that day and they were last seen on the 37^th floor of Tower One and heading higher. They had been seen administering CPR at one point and helping a woman in a wheelchair down the stairs at another. One of four close-knit brothers who lost their parents when they were still young, the youngest was a probie firefighter who spent weeks at the site looking for his brother, Gregory. Only a mangled yellow flashlight with his name on it was ever found.

Posted in Better Angels Stories | Tagged 343, 9/11, better angels, Dawn Siebel, FDNY, firefighter, firefighters, firefighters of 9/11, Gregory Saucedo, Ladder 5, LODD, memorial, NFFF, paintings, World Trade Center, WTC | 1 Comment