Future
Firemen Await Their Dad's Return
Saturday,
September 21, 2001 When a fire burned the Gies home to the foundation
two years ago, people throughout Merrick, including local volunteer
firefighter helped the family rebuild the two-story, five-bedroom
home from scratch in six months. Ronnie Gies, 43, a New York City
firefighter since 1988 and a 25-year veteran of the Merrick Fire
Department, was unaccustomed to getting help, said his wife, Carol.
"It was very hard to be at the receiving end because he's
so used to being the giver." Last week, while working overtime,
Gies, from Squad Co. 288, rushed from the Maspeth, Queens firehouse
to the World Trade Center, arriving before the towers collapsed.
Gies and 18 others from his firehouse have not returned. The children
unexpectedly saw their father arrive on the scene while watching
an amateur video of the disaster broadcast recently on television.
The family obtained a copy of the video and has watched it again
and again. At one point, about 40 people who know Ronnie Gies
gathered around the television set to view the footage. "You
see him straight on, carrying equipment with such a look of determination,"
said Carol Gies, 40. "He didn't have fear on his face."
The video showing her husband's determination consoles her. "He
looked calm," she said. "He was looking up as if: 'OK,
boys. Let's do it.'" The video even comforted Carol's 5-year-old
nephew. "See Auntie Carol," the youngster said. "I
told you my Uncle Ronnie was OK." Later, Carol clenched a
photo of her husband on the scene of another fire. Staring at
it, she said: "You see that same determination." "He
was special," Carol said. "Every one of those New York
City firemen are special. They're heroes." All the Gies children
hope to become firemen - either full time or volunteer. Tommy,
18, has wanted to be a fireman ever since he was old enough to
realize what his father did. Two days before the terrorist attacks,
he visited his father at Squad Co. 288 and had dinner with the
firefighters. "He is the guy I'm going to look up to for
the rest of my life, whether he comes home or not," Tommy
said. "He's my idol. ... I hope that I'll be able to follow
in his footsteps. "To see the brotherhood that's going on
right now makes me want to be a member of the fire department
twice as much as I ever wanted to be," he said. As a reporter
left the Gies home, Tommy yelled out: "Hopefully, he'll be
home. You can interview him." Bobby, 13, whom his mother
calls a "daddy's boy," hopes to become a junior fireman
in Merrick. The youngest in the family, he always accompanied
his father, whether washing the car, trekking to The Home Depot
or visiting the firehouse around the corner. "He was, like,
my best friend," Bobby said. "I helped him build the
house." Gies' son, Ronnie John, 16, the captain of Friendship
Engine & Hose Explorer Post 643, plans to become a volunteer
fireman when he turns 18. Ronnie Gies also coaches a baseball
team of 17- and 18- year-olds. The team made the playoffs this
year. "He taught me pretty much everything I know about baseball,"
Ronnie John said. The family hasn't planned a memorial. They're
just waiting. "Until somebody tells me it's 100 percent over
and all hope is up, I don't know what to do," Carol said.
"I just hope it doesn't resort to DNA. That would break my
heart." In the Gies' basement, a plaque with the Fireman's
Prayer adorns one wall. It ends: And if according to your will
I have to lose my life Bless with your protecting hands Looking
at the poem, Carol said: "I never knew this would be for
me. "Ronnie always said when he was to go, this was the way
to go, and he knew it," Carol said. "He would obviously
give his life for others. "My hero, definitely my hero,"
she said. "There's nothing I wouldn't do to have my hero
here." By Richard J. Dalton Jr Staff Writer (Newsday)
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