With
bagpipers playing "America, the Beautiful," Firefighter
Jose Antonio Guadalupe of Rochdale Village started his final journey.
A grief-heavy gathering of more than 300 relatives and friends
and columns of saluting firemen mourned his death Monday. Guadalupe
was another victim of the World Trade Center attack of Sept. 11.
In
a somber ceremony outside of Gilmores Funeral Home in St.
Albans, Guadalupes casket, atop a fire truck, slowly moved
down Linden Blvd. en route to Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens.
It was followed by Fire Dept.s Emerald Society bagpipers.
Assembled
firemen, including remaining members of Engine Company 54 in Midtown
Manhattan, which lost Guadalupe and 14 others in its complement
of 50 firefighters at the WTC disaster.
Moments
earlier, they held their salute as taps sounded and the flags
of the color guard rolled under the overcast sky. Borough President
Claire Shulman, Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington and Maria Roman,
special assistant to Gov. George E. Pataki, were among the mourners
crowding the street.
The
37-year-old Guadalupe, a 10-year Fire Dept. veteran who drove
a fire truck, leaves behind his wife Elise, his mother Rowena,
who flew in for the funeral from Florida, and many other relatives
and friends.
Guadalupe
called "Tony" was described by several
friends as a dedicated fireman who lived a vibrant life of action
and introspection.
"Losing
him hurts a lot," said long-time friend Steve Leland of Jamaica.
"He was a sweet, generous person. He was a quiet guy. He
tried to please people. He liked to read. He loved his job so
much hed encourage people to take the Fire Dept. exam."
Wayne
Patterson, Guadalupes cousin, told the gathering of mourners
in the funeral home chapel, "Tony left us too soon. He will
be missed as much as he will be loved."
He
said Guadalupe and his companion firemen "were running into
the path of danger while people were running away."
Patterson
called the attack that caused the firefighters death, "a
senseless act of cowardice and violence."
In
speaking of Guadalupes personal life, he described the fireman,
a graduate of August Martin High School in South Jamaica, as a
talented artist and drew chuckles when he added, "He was
great at graffiti."
Patterson
called the deceased firefighter a passionate "cyclist, fresh
water fishing enthusiast and thanks to the fire department
a very good cook."
Patterson
added, "Ill tell you what he was not: he was not a
dancer. He was not a worry wart. He was not super organized."
"I
will tell you what he was: he was a hero. And he will be missed
as much as he was loved."
Barely
holding back tears, Patterson said, "Theres no more
seeing him. No more speaking to him. All we have now are our memories
of him."
He
asked mourners to put aside their biases and concluded his eulogy
with an Arabic prayer, which he offered in that language. When
finished, he translated its conclusion: "God is great. Praise
to God."
Fire
Company 54 Capt. Richardson mourned the loss of Guadalupe and
called him "a very close friend." He noted the firefighters
"calm demeanor and friendly smile."
Pataki,
in a message read by his special assistant, Maria Roman, praised
Guadalupe for his heroism.
"Amid
our great sadness, we have been inspired by the heroism of Jose
Antonio, better known as Tony, and his fellow firefighters who
put themselves at great risk to save others that day. From the
worst of moments, we saw the best of New York. Their memory and
their example has been an inspiration not just to us in New York,
but to people around the world."
"Your
husband and all of those who gave their lives in the line of duty
will always have our heartfelt gratitude and admiration for the
difficult and dangerous jobs they did with such dedication and
bravery."
Guadalupe,
who was decorated twice in 1996 by the N.Y. Firefighters Burn
Center Foundation, was cited in his printed obituary for his "love
of adventure" and it noted his latest passion, the acoustic
guitar. "He spent endless hours developing these skills,"
the obituary read.
Dr.
Charles E. Betts, pastor of the Morningstar Missionary Baptist
Church in St. Albans, led the mourners in prayer.
Steve
Walcott of the Bronx and his wife, Anne, knew Guadalupe from age
3, when he used to spend summers in Barbados.
"He
was always willing to help someone," Walcott said. "I
feel so sad for him," his wife said, "and for all the
families who lost [loved ones]."
Claude
Brown of Jamaica, a close friend of ten years, said, "He
loved his job. His smile said it all. He was charismatic. He skied,
rode bikes, played basketball. He had a 55-gallon fish tank with
tropical fish." "He had a full life."
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