Funeral MASS
For
LT. KEVIN J. PFEIFER
Saturday,
February 9, 2002
At
St. Margaret's RC Church
Middle Village
10:00 AM

Followed by a gathering of
friends and family in
the Parish Center after Mass.
All are welcome.

I wish to thank the coaches, board members, parents and swimmers for their support. Your prayers and concern have meant a great deal to me and my family . We will always remember the phone calls, the hugs and the offers to help.

My brother Kevin was a member of the Fire Department for eleven years. Before becoming a Firefighter he was a Paramedic with EMS for nine years. On Sept. 11th he was the Lieutenant of Engine 33, where he had been working for almost two years. Shortly after the first plane hit the North Tower he reported to me at the command post in the lobby. We spoke only a few words then gave each other a look as to worry if the other was going to be OK. But people needed to be evacuated and there were many people trapped. So my brother started walking up the stairs attempting to rescue those in need. Thousand s of people escaped because of firefighters like my brother. After the collapse of the South Tower, in the darkness of the collapse, I called for the firefighters to evacuate the North Tower. On their way down ,around the tenth floor, Kevin saw that the stairs some of the firefighters were coming down would lead them into the falling debris. One of those fire companies was Engine 7. My brother told them to switch to a different stairs. About 30 seconds after Engine 7 escaped , the second building collapsed.

While we are all shocked by this act of terrorism it is only a small part of this story. The real story is about the heroic acts of firefighters, police and rescue workers. Kevin never met Tom Ashton (a former Flushing Flyer who was on the upper floors of the North Tower), but he was trying to make his way to him to get him out of the building and back to his family. Unfortunately both families suffered a great loss. Our swimmers and families should not see this just as a tragedy but as an opportunity for the world to come together. President Bush said that you fight terrorism with love and caring. On September 11th 343 firefighters gave their lives because they cared . And they gave their love unconditionally to help all people.
Thanks--Joe

Directions to the Church: The Church is located at the corner of 80th Street and Juniper Valley Road. Take the LIE to Woodhaven Blvd. go south on Woodhaven Blvd. (about a mile to Furmanville Ave. (immediately before St. John's Cemetery.) Make a right onto Furmanville( the cemetery will be on your left.) At the end of the cemetery make a left onto 80th Street, the Church is one block down on your right.