It
has been three months now, and Richard Burban still comes to the
fire station expecting to see their faces. Capt. Patrick Brown.
Lt. Kevin Donnelly. Firefighter John McAvoy. But they, and nine
others from Ladder Company 3 in New York City, never come. They
were lost in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, leaving behind
the grieving faces of their 15 remaining comrades. The faces make
up a photo exhibit on the third floor of the Portland Museum of
Art. "Everybody hurts," said Burban as he stood in front of the
picture of himself, staring back. "The whole country is hurting.
It's not just us." Whether it was a chance to hurt or honor, nearly
3,000 people came to the museum Tuesday night to take part in
the official and emotional opening of the photo exhibit of the
members of Ladder Company 3. The pictures were taken by Jack Montgomery
of Portland, who spent time with the Greenwich Village company
in October, capturing the faces of the men who lost so many of
their brethren when terrorists attacked America. The exhibit runs
until Dec. 30. Burban and eight of his fellow firefighters came
for the opening, which served as a chance for Mainers to memorialize
the firefighters who died and cheer those who lived. "It takes
a situation like this for the rest of us to realize the incredible
service these people provide," said Maggie Raymond of South Berwick,
who shook Burban's hand and thanked him for just being him. "The
human connection between the people who are immediately affected
as he is and the rest of us, I think, is really important." Firefighters
from Portland marched down Congress Street from the Bramhall Station
in formal dress, accompanied by bagpipes and flags, as their way
of showing support Tuesday night. The firefighters from Portland's
Ladder Company 3 have been personally affected by the death of
the New York City firefighters. They have attended funerals for
men they never met. They have raised nearly $7,000 for Ladder
Company 3, their New York counterpart, and more is yet to come.
They passed around boots for donations during the opening Tuesday
and plan to continue fund raising. Montgomery also plans to use
the exhibit as a fund-raiser. "What they're trying to do is take
care of the families," said Keith Gautreau, a firefighter with
Portland's Ladder Company 3. "What we're trying to do is help
make that happen." Lt. David Jackson said more than 75 Portland
firefighters marched in the parade as a way of showing support.
"It's a big deal for them to come up," he said. "We're looking
for nothing more than spending some time with them and help with
the healing process." But it seemed the presence of the New York
City firefighters helped Portland heal as well. People erupted
into explosive applause when the firefighters arrived and wept
openly, loudly, during the opening ceremony as Lt. Ray Trinkle
of FDNY read the names of his fallen comrades. "We will carry
on," Trinkle told the crowd. "We look for their faces in the crowd
and we see their faces in Portland right now. Their loss is not
in vain. They have united our country." The word "hero" was used
often during the ceremony - where the men were given the key to
the city and teddy bears for the families back in New York. Rita
Mooney of Portland said that "hero" label applies to every firefighter
in America, not just those who lost their lives on Sept. 11. "Every
time they save a child, rescue an old person," she said. "Any
time they go in the door when they're called, they're heroes."
He was in a fog, coming off a 24-hour shift, he said, when he
stood for the camera portrait - arms crossed, eyes wide. Neither
he nor any of his comrades are smiling. Staff Writer Giselle Goodman
can be contacted at 324-4888 or at: ggoodman@pressherald.com
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