The Crimson Thread: A Family Legacy of Service
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| John M. Gill's badge |
This week's post is short. Not because I don't have anything to say, but I want it to be a poignant and reminiscent post to think about the lives of first responders, firefighters in particular, that have left too soon because of their unselfish dedication to saving others.
May 4th is International Firefighters Day Wear a red and blue ribbon in remembrance; wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together, we can show our gratitude to firefighters everywhere, and the ribbons are linked to colors symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water.
My paternal grandfather, he is one of those that left us far too soon. I never heard his voice, but I have his badge. And every time I look at it, I understand a little more about the man my father spoke of with such pride. That is the oral tradition that keeps the memories of past loved ones alive. John M. Gill was assigned to Engine 2 of the Auburn Fire Department. He died May 31, 1942, due to injuries sustained in the line of duty as a fireman.
He is listed on the NY State Fallen Fireman's memorial in Albany, NY along with so many others. Please take a look at the list and as you look remember their dedication to others.
If you would like to honor the memory of those who served, please consider a donation to the Willard Memorial Chapel (https://www.willard-chapel.com/) This historic Auburn landmark hosts the Auburn Fire Department’s Annual Line of Duty Death Memorial Service, ensuring that the sacrifice of men like my grandfather is never forgotten.
This is my father. He was a volunteer fireman with the Minoa, NY Fire Department for many years, and both he and our family took great pride in his service. Even after we moved away, his commitment to helping others never wavered. He volunteered for 10 years on the Red Cross Disaster Team in Syracuse, and later became an EMT so he could continue serving through volunteer ambulance companies in the Syracuse area.
This is my great-nephew, Ryan (on the left). He is studying to become a firefighter and already volunteers with a department in North Carolina. Ryan is following a proud tradition in our family, and he is excelling in his studies—he hopes to be a full firefighter by the end of summer. One day, I hope my great-nephew will hold my grandfather's badge in his own hands and feel the same weight of legacy I feel now—not a burden, but a calling.
Ryan never met his great-great-grandfather from Engine 2, just as I never did. But the stories, the memories and the calling have all found their way to him—proof that some legacies don't fade. They simply wait for the next hand to carry them forward.
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