Married With Sammich Grabbers

Meet Andrew Jordan.  On September 11th, 2001, he went to work, just like everyone else, but unlike your average Joe, Andrew knew that this might be the day he’d lose his life to save someone else’s.  See, Andrew was a firefighter.

After graduating from West Islip High School in 1983, Andrew headed to Ohio to attend a technical school. He was soon back in New York, where he went to work for the Long Island Lighting Company, also known as LILCO. As his mother Eileen told me, “he spent his days up the power poles.”

In 1994, Andrew became a firefighter. He joined up with Division 15, Battalion 38 out of Prospect Heights in Brooklyn in 1995.  On September 11th, 2001, Andrew was a proud member of Ladder Company 132, known, eerily appropriately, as “The Eye of the Storm.”

One of the things I seemed to see alot of on comments and in news stories, was how gentle Andrew was.

Firefighter Randy Foss of Ladder 132 described Andrew as “…a real fun loving guy. A big fellow, but a gentle giant.”

“He was a super, super strong guy,” said Lt. John Graziano “but as strong as he was, that’s how nice he was.”

When I talked to Andrew’s brother John, he also mentioned that Andrew really was a gentle giant.  He also told me that Andrew loved to fish, and that his favorite saying was “It’s great to be alive!”

Andrew was one of eight kids (Margaret, Mary, Ellen, Andrew, Thomas, Elizabeth, Bernadette and John), born to Thomas and Eileen Jordan. He was also a first generation American, as his parents both came from Ireland, a heritage Andrew was very proud of. (Andrew was named for his paternal grandfather, and his middle name, Brian, came from his maternal grandfather.)  As his sister Margaret told me; “As the first son, he was doted on. Andrew was a loving, gentle person, who demonstrated tremendous patience and physical strength.”

 

Andrew was a son, a brother, and he was also a father and a husband. He and his wife Lisa had 4 kids; Andrew Jr., Mathew, Kelsey, and Sean, who was born September 26th, 2001. Andrew never got to meet his youngest child.

 

Andrew’s sister Margaret was kind enough to send me an email filled with pictures, things she thought I should know about Andrew, and also attached to the email was a beautiful rememberance from a sister to a brother:

 

I wish that I could articulate

The darkness left by evil’s hate

The search for ethereal light

In the motes of an asbestos night

 

Medieval conjurors cannot compete

With media graphic’s constant feat

As amber dipped, time suspended

September 11th perpetually upended

My family’s love and laughter’s flow

The courses now have far to go

 

Like lights memorial into the sky

Or the softest whispers of my mother’s sigh

What tributes can our clay feet plant

To measure life’s change in minutes scant

Connected to the bridge of time

Connected to that Brother Mine

 

And so I say to you dear God

On rippling wind and softest fog

Let each piece of my heart

From the smallest to the greatest part

reflect all that is divine

That gift of love, oh Brother Mine

 

 

 

 

The Firefighter’s Prayer

 

When I am called to duty God

wherever flames may rage

give me strength to save a life

whatever be its age.

 

Help me to embrace a child

before it is too late

and save an older person from

the horror of that fate.

 

Enable me to be alert

and hear the weakest shout

and quickly and efficiently

to put the fire out.

 

I want to fill my calling

and to give the best in me

to guard my every neighbor

and protect his property.

 

And if according to Your will

I have to lose my life

Please guard with Your protecting hand

those whom I’ve loved in life.

 

 

I would like to thank Andrew’s mother Eileen for taking the time to talk to me about her firstborn son, his brother John, for letting me see who his brother was, and his sister Margaret, for sharing things so close to the heart, and letting me put it out here for the world to see. Without all of you, this tribute would have felt empty.  You all have my hearfelt respect, as does your entire family.

 

Thank you for letting me (and the world) know Andrew’s smile.  The one that lit up a room.

 

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