Michael Quilty, 42, FDNY hero, 'inspiration
to all' Date of Death 9/11/2001
By Alysha Sideman Advance staff writer Wednesday, 09/26/2001
A fire lieutenant cited for three acts of heroism in his 20-year
career with the FDNY is still among the missing victims of the
World Trade Center attacks. Michael Quilty, 42, a member of Ladder
Co. 11, Manhattan, was directing other firefighters on Sept. 11,
after Tower 1 was hit by the hijacked airplane. While it is not
known which tower he was in, his company's truck was seen outside
Tower 1. He had celebrated his 20th anniversary with the Fire
Department a week earlier. Mr. Quilty was born and raised in Sunnyside.
After earning an associate's degree in liberal arts from the College
of Staten Island, he moved to Arden Heights. Four years later
he moved to Port Richmond Center, where he lived briefly before
settling in Castleton Corners 16 years ago. Upon being sworn into
the Fire Department on Sept. 5, 1981, he was assigned to a firehouse
in Borough Park, Brooklyn, the home of Engine Co. 282 and Ladder
Co. 148. He worked there for 18 years. During his service there
he earned two unit citations for meritorious acts and received
the Fire Marshals' Benevolent Association Medal in 1997 for personal
bravery and initiative in the rescue of a woman from a house fire.
Mr. Quilty pulled the unconscious victim from a fire escape and
carried her down several flights. His fellow firefighters from
Ladder 148 said they found his "strength and leadership an inspiration
to all." Even out of uniform, Mr. Quilty had an instinct for rescue.
In July, when he and his son, Daniel, 15, took scuba diving lessons
in Florida, he rescued a woman on his first dive after being certified.
She panicked and began rapidly ascending, which can cause lung
damage and death. "He knew what risk this was to him and was still
willing to do it for someone he knew for 10 minutes," said his
older brother, Joseph (Dan) Quilty Jr. Carol Strobel, a good friend,
added, "Mike died the way he lived his life -- helping people."
In August 1999, Mr. Quilty was promoted to lieutenant and worked
in different firehouses according to need. He was first assigned
to department headquarters at Metrotech Center, Brooklyn. In June
2000, he worked in Division 1 in Lower Manhattan. He had been
assigned to Ladder Co. 11 in Manhattan for about a year. Growing
up on Staten Island, he graduated from St. Teresa's School, Castleton
Corners, and Moore Catholic High School. Mr. Quilty was a parishioner
of St. Teresa's R.C. Church, also Castleton Corners. During the
summers while he was in college, he worked as a lifeguard, and
also worked in the radiology department of Staten Island Medical
Group before becoming a firefighter. Mr. Quilty loved spending
time with his wife, the former Susan Broderick; his son, Danny,
and his 13-year-old daughter, Kerry. He enjoyed many hobbies.
Skilled at creating stained glass windows, he'd recently made
one for his home and another for the home of a friend. He was
an avid biker and incorporated bicycling into family vacations
to Cape Cod and into his commute to work, via the Staten Island
Ferry. Carpentry was another passion. He completely gutted and
rebuilt the interior of his home, installing a new roof, siding,
kitchen and two bathrooms. Mr. Quilty coached his daughter's soccer
team, the Petrides Tigers, for the past six years. "He loved the
girls and took them to Carvel for ice cream after every win, paying
for it himself -- and they won a lot of games," said Mrs. Quilty.
As a boy, he loved to spend time with his father in the family
boat, and when he was 15, his father taught him to drive it. They
spent many summers together fishing in the waters off Staten Island
and New Jersey. Mr. Quilty was also an accomplished pilot, taking
flying lessons at age 24 and soloing in 1983. He had served as
vice president of the Richmond Pilots' Club for two years. "He
was everything to me. Even though I won't have him here with me
and I will miss him every day of my life, I know I will always
have his love," said Mrs. Quilty. Mr. Quilty called his wife on
the morning of the attack, after Tower 1 was hit, to let her know
he'd be going down there. "At that time we just thought it was
an accident," she said. The couple had spent their last evening
together, Sept. 10, on a "shopping date" at Costco. "Their relationship
was such that a trip to Costco together was like a date," said
Joseph Quilty Jr. "He was a happy guy who was devoted to his wife,
family and friends. He was always helping and giving. If anyone
was in need, they'd call Mike and he'd gladly come. "His nephews
-- my sons -- admired him for being the person he was," he continued.
"He was always the first person to show up at a person's new home
or he was always the first one to take time off work so he could
help you paint it." In addition to his wife, Susan, his son, Daniel,
his daughter, Kerry, and his brother, Joseph Jr., surviving are
his parents, Rose and Joseph Sr.; and his two sisters, Eileen
Peterson and Suzanne Quilty. There will be a memorial mass Saturday
at 2 p.m. in St. Teresa's Church.
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