His grandfather had been an FDNY Battalion Chief who died the year he was born. Thomas Holohan, 36, grew up hearing stories about when horses pulled the fire trucks and a plane crashed into the Empire State Building. He was shown the pictures his grandpa took to prove it. Holohan became an FDNY firefighter in 1995, quitting his job as an auditor when a slot became available. “He was so happy,” his wife said. “Being a firefighter was his boyhood dream.” More recently, he’d been studying hard for his lieutenant’s exam.
Holohan left behind three small children: 7, 5 and 1. Rumor has it that he also home-brewed a very tasty beer.