David
LaForge, 50, fighting fires was childhood dream An ocean lover,
he taught nephews and niece to bodysurf, helped his family whenever
he could Date of Death 9/11/2001 By Leah Karnatski Advance staff
writer Tuesday, 10/02/2001 Like so many of his fellow heroes,
David LaForge, a 24-year veteran of the Fire Department, was done
with his shift when the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center.
But when Ladder 20 in Manhattan got the call on Sept. 11, this
seasoned driver jumped in his beloved fire engine and raced downtown
to the Twin Towers. Mr. LaForge was seen last on the 35th floor
of Tower 1, helping others get to safety, and remains one of the
missing from the attack. For his family, his is a life come full
circle from his childhood days of pretend. >From as early as his
mother, Ethel LaForge, can remember, her son daydreamed of rescuing
people from fire and calamity. "He always played fireman when
he was young," said Mrs. LaForge. "We have pictures of him as
a child with his fire helmet, the garden hose, and a toy fire
truck." Mr. LaForge was also a member of his company's emergency
medical team, and was assigned to a decontamination truck in Manhattan.
But it was his job as senior chauffeur that he cherished most.
"It was one of his dreams," said Mrs. LaForge. "He stayed with
the company because it was his pride and joy to drive the ladder
truck." A lifelong Port Richmond resident, Mr. LaForge graduated
from McKee High School and later attended college in upstate New
York. His love of the road inspired him to save his money and
leave his studies after two semesters. He later purchased a truck,
which he used to work for North American Van Lines for a year
before becoming a firefighter in 1977. Mr. LaForge frequently
drove all across the United States for long periods of time, his
mother said. He enjoyed life on the road because he was able to
see the country. He was dedicated to his close-knit family. Being
single enabled Mr. LaForge to help his uncles, Thomas Syvertsen
and Edward Malokie, and his aunts, Alice Malokie and Janet Salzberger.
He enjoyed carpentry and yardwork, and was looking forward to
retiring, especially because he would have time to renovate his
two homes. In addition to a house in Port Richmond, he also bought
one several years ago in Island Heights, N.J., a few blocks away
from his parents, and a short ride from the sea. Mr. LaForge was
an ocean lover, and his older sister, Jane Schwerd, has many memories
of him teaching her children, William, Frederick and Meghan, to
bodysurf. "He loved to be in the water," she said. "He loved riding
the waves, and he would take the kids out and let them ride in
on his back." She also remembered his longtime love of firefighting,
and specifically, of driving and maintaining the truck. "He loved
taking care of it," said Mrs. Schwerd. "He also took a lot of
pride in getting to the site of a fire as quickly as he could.
It was something he really cherished." Her brother was shy, she
said, and never one to revel in heroic hoopla. "Rescuing people
was the most important thing to him. He didn't care about getting
in the paper, or being a hero. The most important thing to him
was making sure everyone got out OK," she said. "He just did what
he was supposed to do and did it very well." She and her brother
talked frequently every month. "We were very close, and as we
got older, he acted more like a big brother," said Mrs. Schwerd,
who has lived in Saratoga, N.Y., for 30 years. "He came to my
rescue numerous times, and not just emotionally. He's very handy,
and would come up and do a lot of work on my home." In addition
to his mother, Ethel, and his sister, Jane, Mr. LaForge is also
survived by his father, James, and his cousin, Dr. Robert Malokie.
A memorial service will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Zion Lutheran
Church, Willowbrook.
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