The 18-month Hispanic Society F.D.N.Y. calendar
is a memorial to two members who died Sept. 11, 2001 By Jennifer
Weil . As a New York City firefighter with Ladder Company 12, Angel
Juarbe Jr. saved lives. He was also an aspiring actor who loved
animals and spending time with his family. Hector Luis Tirado Jr.,
a member Engine Company 23, was a father of five who hoped one
day to attend medical school. Both were proud of their heritage
and shared a desire to help the Hispanic community. Last May, when
executives from the Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation proposed
a 2002 calendar featuring firefighters and Emergency Medical Services
personnel to raise money for the Hispanic Society F.D.N.Y., Juarbe
and Tirado responded. Juarbe enlisted others because the calendar
was to benefit the society's recruitment effort and scholarship
fund. "He got on the phone and he started getting all the guys
and girls lined up that were interested," said Lt. Miguel Ramos,
president of the Hispanic Society. "He was always one of the guys
that I called up. He was a very active, outgoing type of guy." Tirado
was also enthusiastic."He was like, 'Wow, I'm not a star, I'm not
a model type, but it's a big ego booster,' " said Richard Batista,
29, a firefighter with Engine 76. "I mean who doesn't want to be
in a calendar?" Juarbe and Tirado, who auditioned with 70 men and
15 women last summer, were chosen as models and later posed for
the photographer, D.C. Larue.But they never got to take their star
turn. On Sept. 11, Juarbe, 35, and Tirado, 30, were among the 343
firefighters who died in the attack on the World Trade Center. "We
were literally put in shock," said Jodi Mutnansky, marketing director
for the Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation in New York and the calendar's
coordinator. The plan for a 12-month calendar to be in stores by
late 2001 was dashed."It would have been very inappropriate to
do it that quickly," Mutnansky said. "We needed time to chill out
before we could get back to the normalcy of things." The project
eventually went forward, with some changes. "We decided to go with
it and make it a tribute calendar for Angel and Hector," Ramos
said.The Hispanic Society also had the blessing of the Juarbe and
Tirado families."If they are gone, at least they are going to be
alive in our minds and hearts," Juarbe's mother, Miriam, said. "There's
no reason to forget them. They are our heroes. You never forget
our heroes, and the more exposure they have the more they will
be remembered for the ultimate sacrifice." The calendar was reformatted
to cover 18 months, starting with July 2002 and featuring photographs
of 16 men and two women. Rather than follow the lead of fire department's
recent "Firehouse Hunks" calendars, the Hispanic calendar features
models in more modest poses. "We changed some of the pictures because
they were a little too sexy," said Batista, Mr. September 2002,
who had his photo reshot to show his new tattoo, which commemorates
the firefighters who died on Sept 11. "A lot of guys actually have
sweaters and shirts on, showing minimal skin." As a personal tribute,
Mutnansky said, Tirado (May) and Juarbe (July) are pictured on
the months they were born. The Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation,
which owns the radio stations 105.9 FM and 1280 AM in New York,
originally hoped to sell sponsorships for the calendar. That plan
was scratched after Sept. 11, so the company absorbed the production
costs. The calendars are on sale for $10 at 26 Barnes & Noble locations
in New York and New Jersey. They are also available through the
Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation's Web site, www.netmio.com. Editor's
Note: Though I never met Angel Juarbe Jr., I know people both at
work and at home who knew him. All speak highly of him. Of his
giving of his time to others, to educate them on the hazard's of
fire as he did when visiting school children in East Harlem's Community
School District # 4, and of being a good friend. He is sorely missed
by all who knew him. And I can only wish that I had the pleasure
of meeting this great man.
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