Give an Hour to Honor Bravest

[Pudge3311 5]

Printed Tuesday August 29th, 2006

Author: Steve Dunleavy

On Sunday morning, you may have been worried about how good the coffee was, had the dog been fed and, dammit, it was raining, so it was no good for golf.

You didnt have a clue about Michael Reilly.

Then on Monday, you heard about a 25-year-old kid who sacrificed his life in a crappy little buildin in The Bronx, along with Lt. Howard Carpluk, and you said, "What a shame."

You'll read about the funerals and say, "What a shame" - then checked the weekend weather to see if it will be good for golf.

Aren't we a bunch of selfindulgent wimps? We don't notice when men like Reilly go off to Iraq to save our sorry butts and come back to the streets of New York City to protect our sorry butts - along with a vereran lieutenant named Curpluck.

The battles - whether in Iraq or on the streets of New York - are now over for those real-life John Waynes in a time when the word "hero" is thrown around far too loosely.

Probie Mike Reilly started as a teen in the Ramsey volunteer rescue squad in New Jersey. His former boss, Eric Endress, said "I think it was just in his blood."

I've known so many cops and firefighters where the job was "just in his blood." I've gone to too many funerals after their blood was spilled.

After the funerals, can I ask of anyone who's reading this: Please put aside one hour, just one hour, to think of what these guys in the FDNY do every day.

I only ask for one hour - call me at The Post to say you'll do it.

Mike, I never met you, but somehow I think I know you and that good lieutenant - along with the rest of those dedicated and beautiful maniacs who look after all our sorry butts.

Please, after the funerals of both these wonderful men, just take an hour and forget whether it's gonna be a good golf weekend or your boyfriend's gonna take you to the Hamptons or whatever.

Think of these men - and say thank you.