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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