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For 9-year-old Antonio Garcia-Cordoza, who is battling a life-threatening illness, it was better than a daydream, it was a dream day. And it was real.
“We met him when he was 4 years old,” said Passaic Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost Sr. “and he came to the firehouse. He could just barely move. We couldn’t do much with him. We just huddled around him.”
After receiving a kidney transplant from his father, Matias Garcia, last August, Antonio was up for a whole day of living his dream of becoming a firefighter, although the beginning of the dream was not so glamorous. Before 9 a.m., at Westside Firehouse he was handed a mop and told to get to work.
Moving across town to the city’s Eastside Firehouse, Antonio got to sit behind the wheel of a big rig fire truck. “Now I just need you to back it up,” joked Mayor Hector Lora.
Shortly thereafter Antonio was officially sworn in by the mayor as an honorary firefighter surrounded by firefighters and family members. And he has his work cut out for him.
On Tuesday, Antonio stepped into his firefighting gear and received a personalized helmet, adorned with artwork by firefighter and artist Eliezear Pagan.
Then the call came.
There was a fire that needed to be put out in the adjoining training facility. Chief Trentacost strode around the corner with the newest firefighter and Antonio gave the command “Charge the line!”
He then took his place, crouching among fellow firefighters and aimed the powerful firehose at the flames until they were extinguished.
After lunch, thanks to a New Jersey State Police escort, Antonio’s motorcade made its way to Make-A-Wish NJ headquarters in Monroe Township for more tributes and another swearing-in ceremony in front of the Make-A-Wish Castle.
But again, a call came.
There was a princess in distress in one of the towers. Who could perform such a daring rescue? How about the new guy?
Antonio stepped into the cherry picker of a Monroe Township District 2, Station 57 Ladder Truck and rose to the occasion without a sign of fear, safely anchored by a tie-on strap and accompanied by two firefighters.
The princess, Wish Coordinator Haley Bochicchio, was appreciative. “Thank you sooo much, Antonio. That was so wonderful of you to help me,” she said with a gracious princess bow once the two were back on solid ground again.
After such a heroic rescue, it’s natural that the new firefighter would attract media attention. Antonio politely answered all questions, both from English-speaking and Spanish-speaking media outlets.
“I used to tell my mom ‘Look firefighters!’” he said on camera to Darla Miles from ABC7NY.
“I told my mom, one day I want to be a firefighter.”
Later, his mom, Rosabla, told NJ Advance Media through her daughter Rocio translating that she’s thankful Make-A-Wish NJ could help him achieve her son’s dream of being a firefighter. Details about the boy’s illness weren’t shared.
Antonio then added, “I feel happy and excited at the same time… and my wish in life came true.”
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Michael Mancuso may be reached at [email protected]
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