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The FDNY honored eight of its fallen from the past year at its Memorial Day Service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on Wednesday, the 118th such service in the department’s history.
The honorees included Captain Thomas LaBarbiera, of Engine 93, who passed away at 51 from a World Trade Center-related illness in September 2024.
LaBarbiera had followed in the footsteps of his father and two uncles when he became an FDNY firefighter in July 2001. Just a few weeks later, he would spend weeks working tirelessly on the rescue and recovery efforts at ground zero.
He also “made a heck of a red sauce” his sister wrote in an obituary for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, loved the Grateful Dead and had an “infectious” laugh.
Among the other honorees were Captain Gregory Schmidt, Firefighters Patrick Sheridan and Matthew Goicochea, EMS Lieutenants Emilio Gonzalez and Nelson Soto and EMTs Christopher Respol and Christina Jo McKeen.
"The FDNY members we honor today were selfless and extraordinary people dedicated to public service,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said at the memorial service, adding that those honored Wednesday were among 1,161 members of the department who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. “They gave their lives to our city, taking a sworn oath to protect and serve. This vow guided them every day. They lived as they worked with honor and dignity."
Adams absent
Hundreds of firefighters, EMS workers, department leaders, union leaders along with families and friends of the fallen packed the Morningside Heights cathedral.
But Mayor Eric Adams, who typically speaks at FDNY memorial ceremonies, was notably absent. Days after announcing he would suspend his run for a second term in office, Adams flew to Albania for a four-day trip at the invitation of that country’s prime minister, Edi Rama, according to the mayor’s office.
Andrew Ansbro, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, slammed Adams for jetsetting and skipping the memorial service, calling it “extremely disappointing” that he missed the event. He noted that it was the first time in memory that the city’s mayor had failed to attend.
“This ceremony is about honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for New York City. It’s not about politics or schedules — it’s about respect,” Ansbro said. “The mayor is still sworn into office until the end of the year, and his absence sends the wrong message to every firefighter and every family who lost someone in the line of duty.”
In his stead, Adams sent the deputy mayor for public safety, Kaz Daughtry, who was a police officer for almost 20 years, to speak at the service.
“Our members risk their lives every day to protect this city. To see the mayor overseas while the FDNY gathers to remember our fallen is deeply hurtful,” Ansbro continued. “We expect our city’s leadership to stand beside us — not just when it’s convenient, but when it truly matters.”
A spokesperson for City Hall said that as mayor, Michael Bloomberg also missed FDNY memorials, referencing Bloomberg's absence at firefighters’ funerals and memorial services early in his term in January and February 2002, for which he was criticized.
“With a more than two-decade career in law enforcement himself, Mayor Adams deeply values the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to keep New York safe,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Through our ‘Best Budget Ever’ and our recent September Capital Plan, our administration is investing millions in technology, personnel, and resources to ensure the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) can continue to protect New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Senior leaders from the Adams administration attended FDNY Memorial Day on the mayor’s behalf, reaffirming our commitment to these courageous first responders.”
The president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, James Brosi, who, like Ansbro, attended the memorial service, declined to comment on Adams’ absence. Oren Barzilay, the president of Local 2507, which represents FDNY EMTs, paramedics and fire protection inspectors, said in a text that it was “disappointing not to see the mayor at the FDNY’s memorial event.”
“However, having his deputy mayor, Kaz Daughtry, present and speak is appreciated,” he added.
Those honored at this year's service numbered fewer than those commemorated in each of the last two years. But Tucker noted that more than 400 members of the FDNY have lost their lives to World Trade Center-related illnesses, and knows that "those numbers will continue to rise."
“Loss is something our department knows well," he said. "We know when we sign up for this work, the risks that come with it. Even knowing all that’s at stake, we’re still unprepared for loss when it comes. We still grieve; we still mourn. Those losses weigh on us all today, and we stand united in sadness and our vow to support and help each other through it. "
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