ERIC LENKOWITZ and LARRY CELONA
New York Post Online

AP World Wide Photos/Ed Betz Denise Ford, left in black, is escorted into a funeral home to attend a wake for her husband Harry Ford in Oceanside, N.Y., Tuesday.

John Downing's 7-year-old daughter told her tragic-hero dad "not to worry," because "God will help you" in heaven.

Heartsick Joanne Downing poured out her feelings in two touching farewell letters that were displayed yesterday at her dad's wake in Woodside, Queens, where the firefighter - killed in the Father's Day tragedy - was born, baptized and married.

"I wish you didn't have to die," the little girl wrote. "Don't worry, God will help you. I hope you can help me, too."

Another letter said:

"I know you can't read this letter, but I never got to say goodbye to you. Goodbye."

Dozens of colleagues and family members - some flying in from Ireland - paid their respects to the 40-year-old Downing at the Kennedy Roth Funeral Home.

Downing and fellow firefighters Harry Ford and Brian Fahey were killed when an explosion ripped through a burning hardware store in Astoria.

Doctors at the hospitals where survivors Joseph Vosilla and Brendan Manning are being treated said the pair, both in critical condition, were improving.

For other New York Post stories like this, visit NYPost.com