New York boy who died rescuing relatives gets firefighter funeral

[Capt. Obvious]

Tyler Doohan, the 8-year-old upstate New York boy who rescued six relatives from a fire but died while trying to save his grandfather, will be laid to rest Wednesday with a ceremony and honor befitting a fallen firefighter, according to local fire officials.

The Penfield Fire Co. has kept an honor guard standing by the remains of the boy during calling hours since Monday, and at the end of a church service on Wednesday, Penfield Fire Chief Chris Ebmeyer will declare Tyler an honorary firefighter and present his family with a special fire helmet inscribed with the boy's name.

....

At the service, firefighters from multiple fire departments will stand at attention in formal "Class A" dress uniforms with bagpipers playing -- the hallmarks of a traditional firefighter's funeral, Ebmeyer said. There will be no funeral procession at the family's request.

"We want to honor him in a way family and friends will remember and look at him as a hero," Ebmeyer said. "He should be looked at as going above and beyond, even putting his life in danger... This is what firefighters do."

CNN

This choking me up.

[progressoid]

1. ...

[PeaceNikki]

2. I think I have something in my eye.

RIP, Tyler. You were a very brave young man.

[11 Bravo]

16. You too?

Rest easy young man. Courage is best defined as refusing to give in to fear, and the fear of fire is one of the most visceral of all human reactions. It is one Hell of a thing that you did.

[myrna minx]

3. .

[kcr]

4. Oh my gosh, I just can't even...

[Common Sense Party]

5. Our country needs more heroes like Tyler.

We have them, they're out there. We just need more of them.

Kudos to the firefighters honoring him.

[jeff47]

6. /tissue (nt)

[warrior1]

7. Rest in peace Tyler

we need more young men like this.

[Earth_First]

8. I live in this community...

It's been quite a tragedy affecting many emotionally by the details of young man's courage.

Its a remarkable tribute indeed.

[Initech]

9. A true hero gets the send off of true heroes.

[hamsterjill]

10. This is appropriate for Tyler.

I'm just so utterly sorry that he is being honored because he died. What a brave, little soul!

[Ikonoklast]

11. My grandparents lived in Penfield. My uncle was a volunteer firefighter there, years ago.

Upstate New Yorkers take great pride in their fire departments and all those who serve on them.

It is a mark of high distinction to be so honored.


Brave little man.

[cntrygrl]

12. Oh my goodness .... tears. Wow!

[awoke_in_2003]

13. I sadly can rec but once. nt.

[marew]

28. Me too!

Heroes come in all sizes...

What a loss for all of us- for the entire world.

[krispos42]

14. It's dusty in here

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. this story really makes me cry

[liberal_at_heart]

17. That is so sad, touching, and wonderful all at the same time.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

18. Ah, geez.

That REALLY got to me.

Rest in peace, brave Tyler.

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. This is the best possible tribute

[Jesus Malverde]

20. Hero

[frwrfpos]

21. recommend

[freshwest]

22. Tears. Love for him, his family and the firefighters. Picture of that loving face:

[colorado_ufo]

54. The face of a hero.

A whole life lived in eight, short years. Amazing grace.

[barbtries]

23. just reading the headline choked me up.

i hope it's a huge comfort to his family.

[Xipe Totec]

24. Peter 4:12-13

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

[Lunacee_2013]

25. K&R.

Nothing can be said really...

[joeybee12]

26. Incredibly sad...RIP little hero

[Scootaloo]

27. I need to hug something now. BADLY.

[BrotherIvan]

29. TRUE LOVE all around

We're not lost yet.

Thank you, Tyler

[Barack_America]

30. Befitting this amazing little boy who acted as the most courageous of men.

[obxhead]

31. I saw this sinking on the greatest

and had to come in a rec/kick it.

Such a sad story. In my mind no honor could ever be enough, but this is still so very touching.

[Thor_MN]

32. .

[Beacool]

33. Well deserved honor.

There's no greater sacrifice than giving one's life for others.

[SunSeeker]

34. (sniffle)

[Scruffy Rumbler]

35. ......

[riqster]

36. From the al-Quran, chapter 5, verse 32:

"Whosoever saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind."

Rest in peace, young man.

[morningfog]

37. Here's the line that got me, for some reason:

Ebmeyer said he received calls from fire departments from Maine to California, saying something should be done to honor Tyler.

[LongTomH]

38. ....

[OwnedByCats]

39. That's awesome

Totally fitting for that brave little boy

[3auld6phart]

40. Young Hero

Rest In Peace young sir. Our deepest sympathies to his family. We know and feel your loss as we have lost a child to fire many years ago. Many THANKS to the Firemen who Honoured the wee lad and his family. It was really grand of them to do this.

[erpowers]

41. He Deserved It

He deserved a funeral fitting a firefighter. He pretty much so did what a firefighter does. In addition, he is a hero.

[demigoddess]

42. He deserved nothing less.

May he rest in peace, and give his parents comfort.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

43. wow. wish i could go to the ceremony.....

I live in the next town over.
But it wouldnt be right. I dont have any connection to the family.

I'll just tear up from nearby.

[Skittles]

45. I'm sure many will go

because that boy doesn't just represent his family or his town - he represents the very best of what human beings can offer

[BlancheSplanchnik]

51. .....

That explained why I want to be there.


Still can't though. Gotta work.

[LadyHawkAZ]

44. Oh nothing... just chopping some onions over here, I'm fine...

[Victor_c3]

46. Kurt Vonnegut mentioned in one of his books that no job is more noble than that of a fireman

I believe it was his book God Bless You Mr. Rosewater.

That is one hell of a tribute anyone could receive.

It's amazing to see how automatically willing some people are to risk everything to help their fellow human being. His actions both make me grateful that there are people like him and sad that he (a child) lost his life. I hope that he is at rest and peace.

[TxDemChem]

47. I just cried.

He was a beautiful person.

[Botany]

48. Hero!

As firefighters and sheriff's deputies responded to a 4:45 a.m. emergency call, Tyler
was able to wake six other people in the small trailer, including two more children,
ages 4 and 6, the fire officials said.

Then Tyler went back into the blaze to help his grandfather, who was disabled and
would have been unable to get out of the home on his own. "By that time, the fire
had traveled to the back of the trailer," Ebmeyer said at the time. "Unfortunately,
they both succumbed to heat and smoke."

The pair were found together on a bed in the back room. It appeared that the boy
was trying to lift his grandfather from the bed when he was overcome by the smoke
and fire, fire officials said.

[riqster]

49. Kick for heroism.

[tblue]

50. Oh...Little angel.

Had not heard this story. Bless his precious heart and soul. This is devastatingly sad.

[BoWanZi]

52. If this is shown on tv, I'm going to be crying like a little baby. Tearing just thinking of the boy

[Bettie]

53. That is wonderful.

I wonder what this amazing child might have grown up to be, if at 8, he could look past the danger to himself and do what most adults would be too frozen with fear to do.

[Kennah]

55. If Tyler was an experienced, trained, adult firefighter, he'd be a hero.

As a 9 year old boy, there are just no words for him.

The world misses you, Tyler. We need more people like you.

[Rex]

56. Brave little hero.