| Paul Keating, 38, performed his first life-saving rescue just weeks after graduating the academy in 1995, but it was from water not fire. A strong swimmer, he pulled a drowning man from the ocean in New Jersey, administered CPR, and saved his life. Living right behind Ten House across from the WTC, Keating was awakened on the morning of 9/11 by the sound of the first plane crashing into Tower One. Assigned to Ladder 5, he was off duty that day, but went to 10 House to get gear. He called his sister to say he was okay and was going to the WTC to “help his brothers.” When his family returned to his apartment later, all the windows were blown out and thick dust covered everything in sight. |
This afternoon I went to the grocery in downtown Little Rock. A young man walked past me wearing a navy T-shirt with a Firefighter’s emblem on the chest. Immediately, I asked if he was ‘a firefighter as my son is one.’ He explained the shirt was a personal sort of ‘wearable memorial’ for a special New York City firefighter – his cousin, who had died while helping on 9-11-01. He spoke movingly of his relative with such awe, told of his many heroic acts prior to his final endeavor, I had to look him up on the Internet.
The cousin proved to be all that was spoken and much more…
While standing in the store here in Arkansas, the two of us never exchanged our own names – just the name of his cousin. This man’s brief life may be over, but knowledge of him along with his deeds, values and remarkable courage, are still spreading. The young firefighter created a legacy that is worthy of sharing with others and inducing great pride. This was a very honorable young man. I wish I had known PAUL KEATING – instead of just knowing ‘of him,’ as he must have been wonderful.
Hi Audrey,
I was so moved reading your response here. It was very kind of you to take the time to write. You spoke to my wonderful extraordinary cousin Billy McAloon. I am Paulies sister Jeanne. I called my brother after the first plane hit. He lived near the trade center . We were worried because he lived right there . He said there is so much glass flying and noise. He said ” Jeanne , this is terrorism”. I asked him if he was ok and he said. “Yes I am OK and I am going in and I will bring a camera with me. That was that was the last time we spoke. The camera was never returned to us either. A wonderful priest wrote a letter when they brought Paulie into the morgue. We have been communicating ever since. Actually, Paulie was the last body found.The story was on the front page of the NY news. Everyone at Ground Zero treated those found at Ground Zero with such respect and lined up as they remove the body .
There were 11 deaths in my brothers firehouse alone. Thank you again for taking the time.
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
My name is Mark Cunningham and I wrote a song about a fallen 9/11 firefigher while sitting and thinking about it all in St.Paul’s church a few years back. The name of the character in the song was “Paulie Kay”. I’m not sure where it came from, it was a name that came to me as I put the lyrics together, sitting on the steps of the church.
Someone reached out to me on facebook after I put it out in 2012 to say they knew of your brother, told me his name and how he went to “help his brothers”, which is exactly how I wrote it. It was a year after writing the song that I became aware of Paulie and his heroic actions that day; how he ran to help while everyone else was running away. I wrote it to honor people like that, who have that gene to help everyone when everything is falling down around them. I think about him every 9/11.
The song had been included in the 9/11 Memorial Archive and I’ve posted the lyrics below.
Yours, Mark
Paulie got the call
His heart tightened to a stall
As he raced the city streets to find the day
Had frozen into stone
As steel was cut and shorn
From everything he thought could never change
And it pulled the city in
Every race and color skin
Enveloped in a endless sea of grey
Between the darkness and the waste
Fear found a new face
But in there it met men like Paulie Kay
And Paulie joined the congregation
That were sleeping in the pews
After pulling out his brothers and sisters
In a fight they didn’t choose
So go light him a candle
For he lit a city’s way
Hell had forged new beauty
In the work of Paulie Kay
It had stopped him at St. Paul’s
Where they came to give all
They had to give
That’s how they’re made
Brothers they did not know
Sisters stemmed the flow
As each one went outside to hold the day
And he dug with both his hands
As glass returned to sand
And nothing mattered more than those he saved
As he grasped at life unseen
The weaver of a dream
Where “the content of his character”
Lit the way
And Paulie dreamed about America
When he was sleeping in the pews
After pulling out his brothers & sisters
In a fight they’ll never lose
So go light them a candle
For they lit a country’s way
Hell had forged new beauty
In the work of Paulie Kay
It’s Sunday March 22, 2020 I woke up this morning thinking about my brother Paul and how much we miss him. I decided to Google his name and I came across this site and I was amazed at the nice letters the two men had written in honor of my brother.
Billy McAloon is my cousin Danny’s son great kid and former Annapolis graduate and Former Marine we are all proud of. I’m not surprised to hear he was wearing a NYFD from Paulie’s firehouse Ladder 5 Engine 24 in the village. Paulie will never be forgotten.
In fact we are dedicating a new memorial in honor of all the victims of 911 in Spring Lake this coming September 11, 2020. My family is donating a beam from the trade center to the town to honor all the victims of 911. My family wants the next generation to understand what happened that day and that they should never forget. Jeff Keating
Hi Jeff,
I am sorry for your loss. My wife lost her sister and I know how hard it is to go through life without someone you love being there.
I didn’t know Paul, or his story until about a year after I wrote this song. Someone reached out to me who knew your brothers story, after hearing the song. I was struck by the similarities between him and the fictional First Responder I wrote about, not least of which, his name.
Yours,
Mark
Mark thank you it’s a beautiful song and I’m thinking not a coincidence somehow Paulie K came to you.
Thanks Jeff. Funnily enough, I live on the Jersey Shore now so if you’d ever like to hear it sung live, let me know. Mark
Mark I would love to hear the song live! Were at the shore do you live now?
Mark that would be great my email is jeffkeating20@yahoo.com please email me.
The letter and song brought tears to our eyes, we didn’t know Paul Keating but we will keep him in our hearts and prayers. We are Jeff Keating in-laws and love and respect the Keating family.
Sending love to everyone who knew Paul K. and to all the others around the country who continue to remember and honor our remarkable First Responders. I live downtown, worked in Tower 2 and survived, and now volunteer at the 9/11 Museum.