BELLE HARBOR — Christmas decorations on Nov. 15 already spanned the streets of this Rockaway peninsula community, which also was awash with American flags as if it were the 4th of July.
These patriotic colors, waved by residents and flying half-mast in front yards, weren’t for a celebration, but, instead, for a funeral.
Belle Harbor had once again lost a son serving with the New York City Fire Department.
Firefighter Patrick Brady, an 11-year veteran of the FDNY, was eulogized as a gregarious, larger-than-life character known for his fierce prowess in attacking blazes from rooftops.
Brady, 42, died of cardiac arrest on Nov. 8 after a medical emergency during a five-alarm “all-hands” fire in East Flatbush.
He is survived by his wife, Kara, and his parents, Dennis and Susan Brady. His two older brothers, Jimmy and Brian Brady, are also FDNY firefighters.
St. Francis de Sales Parish, where Brady was a lifelong member, was filled with his huge family and many friends for his funeral Mass.
RELATED: Firefighter Honored by FDNY, Mayor Adams, Bishop Robert Brennan After Line-of-Duty Death
His cousin, Peter Brady, also an FDNY firefighter, eulogized Brady.
He said that there are a lot people with that last name on the Rockaway peninsula. “But,” he added, “it’s safe to say Pat was the apex Brady.
“He had the unique ability to be the most popular, coolest guy with absolutely none of the ego.”
Peter Brady related how Patrick and Kara married on April 1, which was “April Fools” for the guests because they were invited to a party, not knowing Pat and Kara were to be married at the gathering.
“Being related to Pat was a badge of honor and a VIP ticket to a good time,” his cousin said.
Father Peter Purpura, who celebrated the Mass, delivered the homily with first-hand knowledge. He grew up in nearby Breezy Point and attended St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy with Brady.
He is now the pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Middle Village and an FDNY chaplain.
“When we think that all has been lost, our Catholic faith reminds us that every human life is a precious gift,” Father Purpura said. “Pat Brady embodied this truth.”
Father Purpura said Brady’s presence “was a blessing, a gift to all who knew him.”
“He brought joy and laughter wherever he went,” the chaplain said, “and his sense of humor was truly unforgettable.”
Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker received sustained applause from the congregation upon announcing that Brady was posthumously promoted from firefighter to lieutenant.
Bishop Robert Brennan presided in choir. Also attending were Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, standing in for Mayor Eric Adams, who was in Israel.
Brady was assigned to Ladder Company 120 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Eulogists described how everyone from fellow firefighters to battalion chiefs wanted him to be with them in the fight.
FDNY officials said Brady went into cardiac arrest while operating on the roof of a six-story building at 9407 Kings Highway in Brooklyn. Fellow firefighters rushed him to the hospital, but he could not be saved, officials said.
Battalion Chief Scott Coyne, a former lieutenant and captain over Brady, said he excelled as a “roof man.”
In that role, Brady had the critical responsibility of creating “vertical ventilation” by cutting holes in a building’s roof. This releases heat, smoke, and toxic gases to help ensure the safety of occupants and firefighters.
“Nothing shall deter the roof man,” Coyne said. “In the end, only a firefighter like Pat could manage such responsibility professionally. Unfortunately, that night, his heart stopped.
“But Patrick’s heart will always be alive and well — beating harder than ever because now it is beating for all of us.”
Brady’s funeral was like the outpouring of love for another former student of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy — FDNY Firefighter Timothy Klein, 31, who died on April 24, 2022, battling a house fire in Canarsie.
RELATED: FDNY’s Klein Eulogized as Fearless First-Responder, Dedicated Public Servant
Both funerals drew hundreds of firefighters from the FDNY and other departments, who lined the streets in stoic solidarity for the fallen.
Both caskets were brought to and from the church on fire trucks.
Both times, public safety helicopters passed in formation above the trucks. The staccato of their rotor blades added to the mournful soundtrack performed by the FDNY’s marching pipers and drummers.
For Brady’s funeral, dozens of flag-toting FDNY firefighters lined up on the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge connecting Brooklyn with the Rockaway peninsula.
On the east side of the bridge in Jamaica Bay, a huge FDNY fire boat filled the air with multiple sprays from its water cannons.
Father Purpura recounted how the communities in the Rockaways have long endured tragedy, from the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 to the Nov. 12 crash of Flight 587, both in 2001. He also listed the devastation brought in 2012 by Super Storm Sandy, which “spared no households, but we rebuilt.”
He recalled how a former pastor of St. Francis de Sales, “the great Msgr. Marty Geraghty,” responded to a reporter after the crash of Flight 587. The journalist asked the pastor, who died in 2023, how the parish was coping with such suffering.
“The response,” Father Purpura said, “was simple, yet profound, and had a tone that suggested that the answer should be obvious. He said, ‘We have our Catholic faith.’ ”
Father Purpura explained that this faith is not just a comfort in times of sorrow; it is a source of strength.
“It is the bedrock on which we have built our lives,” he said. “It is what enables us to support one another, to persevere through loss, and to celebrate the lives of our beloved dead with hope.”
Peter Brady recalled how his cousin had a “Rockaway Strong” sticker on the back of his car.
“But now it’s our turn to be Rockaway Strong,” he said.
The cousin urged the congregation to “grieve with a smile.”
“Because,” he added, “when you think of the good times, everyone will do the same. I know that’s how Pat would handle this.”
