Wednesday, January 21, 2015 workout is dedicated to Thomas Holohan, FDNY, Engine 6, who was killed on September 11, 2001. From Thomas brother, Sean Holohan, At this point its been hard for me to come down to your house to let you know face-to-face how grateful I am for all that you do, so the least I can do is share a story with you. I thank all of you for loyalty, bravery and for being the heroes that you are. About a month before our lives were darkened with pain and sadness, my brother Tom (as some of you may or may not know, I knew him as Chip), his wife and kids came upstate camping with me. Cayuga Lake was a special place for us because our parents had introduced it to us as kids, and brought us up there many times over the years as we grew up. I can remember how much my father loved going there to relax. He showed both my brother and me how to fish and really enjoy such an amazing part of nature. Tom brought his family there because he too wanted them to enjoy the same things his parents gave him. This past summer while we were there together, I could see in him how much he really loved being there. He loved being with everyone he loved and enjoyed watching his kids play and fish. Every night the two of us would fish together and then come back to the cabin to sit around the fire and talk a bit. Almost all of those nights up there I would get a good laugh as I could see h! ow! relaxed he was and wait to see how long it would take for him to fall asleep outside in front of the nice warm fire. Each night that he did fall asleep, I left him alone until I was ready to go to bed. Just being there with him made me feel really good. There was one night we had a conversation about how I was still unsure of what career path I really wanted to follow. Of course he praised what a great job being a fireman was. It was then that I told him that that is what differs him from me. I told him I run out of burning buildings, not in them! I told him thats what makes him such a better person than me, he was much braver than I. I did tell him that I feared for him because of the danger that he enters at work, but of course he assured me he would always be alright (which of course I wanted to believe). He told me that he wasnt scared because of the trust he had in himself in his training and the trust in his brothers. I find it so amazing how you all become a family when you are firemen, and a great one at that. Nothing makes me happier to have known how much my brother loved his job and those he worked with. As that night got later and our conversation about our lives and work quieted down, I watched as he held his beer in his lap (laughing a bit to myself waiting for it to tip and spill on him) and fell asleep. As usual I let him sleep a bit and let the fire grow dim. I sat there thinking how great I felt to have my brother there and thought about the many good times to come up there together. Im sure he was dreaming the same. Thomas P. Holohan Eulogy Written by Kathleen Dowling Caccamo September 28th, 2001 My cousin Tom is from an Irish family. And for those of you not familiar with a large Irish family, this is a fairly small one. Tom is one of five siblings, 3 sisters and 1 brother. And he ONLY has about 20 first cousins. When I think of Tom, I think of a quiet, gentle man, standing in the background, but quick with a hug and an impish grin. What you should remember about Tom is that there are three things that everyone should hold as dear to their hearts as he did: The first is LOVE: Toms wife would like you all to know that true love does exist. She has it with her Tom. Their love is a partnership and her happiness, his priority. It was often said that Tom looked so incredibly happy in his wedding photo. It is true, he was. The second is FAMILY: Tom valued his role as father to his children. He hoped to raise self-confident children who showed the commitment of their word through their deeds. He also enjoyed sharing his childhood, by taking them camping, fishing and hiking at the cabins at Cayuga Lake. Not exactly Disney World, but experiencing lifes simple pleasures around a campfire with family and friends. After Toms father passed away, he proudly stepped up as big brother. He was there for his mother, each of his sisters and brother. Whether it was a holiday or a camping trip, he made you all feel welcome, important and understood. No more so as, when he proudly took his oldest son to his Brother Seans college graduation to show each of them, the importance of family. The third is LOYALTY: Tom was loyal to the end, whether it was rooting for the Yankees even in their unsuccessful seasons or just sticking to his word. He was committed to whatever task he took on. And by far, his favorite loyalty was to the City of New York as a firefighter. Where he vowed to save lives and protect property. Where loyalty is a commitment to a team of guys, who each bring these same values to every task. Where that loyalty could help a gentle man fulfill his lifelong dream. And be a hero, everyday! Friday, September 28, 2001 Today, I went to my cousin, Tom Holohans funeral. He was a NYC firefighter at Engine Co. 6 and was in the World Trade Center when it collapsed on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. He was listed among the missing until Monday, September 24th, when his body was recovered. I have been to my fair share of firemans funerals and I am always touched by the ceremony accorded to the brave men who make their living saving lives and protecting property. But the circumstances surrounding funerals today makes them very different. Today, I went to my Cousin Toms funeral and as his coffin was lifted up onto the back of a fire truck, I was profoundly sad and yet proud. It was followed by another fire truck carrying the many sprays of flowers that arrived from around the world mourning his death. Following in line was the limousine that carried his wife and 6 year old son, his mother, 3 sisters and brother, and behind the limousine were about 25 cars with extended family and friends. This alone would have been a touching tribute to a young man whose life ended too soon. As we drove the long the five miles to the church the local police had stopped traffic. Along the route we witnessed many people who may have not known my cousin Tom, but felt the profound sadness that we were all feeling that day. So they stopped their cars and got out to stand in silence. Men removed their caps. The lady walking in the park on that cool fall morning stopped at the sight of the fire truck and put her hand over her heart. People came out of their homes maybe noticing the silence on the street in front of their homes and stood with their flags. The policeman saluted and the construction workers stopped working to put their hard hats over their hearts in salute to our fallen hero. Today, I went to my cousin Toms funeral and said goodbye to a friend and realized that a small town in upstate New York was as profoundly sad and proud to say goodbye to a hero.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 04:05:01 +0000
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