A New York Minute

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Feels like I've been on the road for years. Actually, I have been. Since retiring from the job in '06, I left NY for South Carolina, and eventually wound up in Florida. It's been too long since I've been home. But I came home for a funeral of a beloved Great Uncle of our family. Uncle Vince served in the U.S. Army during WWII, and saw action in Europe for which he received recognition. He passed away at age 93. He was laid to rest in St. Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx.

Being back in NY after such a long time, is an incredible experience. First thing one realizes, is the scale and perception of this area changes when you're away for a long time. Westchester is tighter and smaller than ever. It makes me shake my head even more when I realize this small place has such a problem with combining fire service protection.

Then my Brothers from my former job caught a two-alarm fire in an OMD at two something in the morning the other night. They did a great job with aggressively attacking that fire, and keeping the damage to a minimum. The mutual aid companies also helped out. Great job by all.

Seeing family and friends has been such a wonderful experience. If you take all the people in your life for granted, go on the road for four or five years, and see how your perspective changes. Seeing Brothers I worked with has been an amazing time.

To wrap it up, there really is no place like home; especially when home is the greatest metropolis in the world; New York. I'm loving every single minute of this visit, every single minute spent with my dad, my uncles, all retired firemen. Thank God for family and friends.

Special thanks to Brother E. Lynch and the entire crew at 28/11 for their hospitality in my time of urgent need of a restroom! lol

Stay well everybody. Hug your family today, shake your friends hands, enjoy this world and the people God chose to be your family and friends. They are literally irreplaceable.

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Thanks for sharing your story, George. I am sorry for your loss.

The last sentence says it all.