A YEAR AGO, Engine 28 firefighters Rey Rubio, 42, and John D. Taylor, 53, died side by side in the smoke-filled basement of a blazing Port Richmond rowhouse.
Tomorrow morning, on the tragedy's first anniversary, the tight-knit community that Engine 28 firefighters risk their lives for will make sure that Rubio's and Taylor's sacrifice is never forgotten.
After raising thousands of dollars from block-party raffles and beef-and-beers, and buying nearly 1,000 red-and-black Engine 28 bows, the community will gather at the firehouse, on Ontario Street near Belgrade, to unveil a memorial garden and a gray marble gravestone inscribed with the Firefighter's Prayer.
"There's a red-and-black Engine 28 bow on everyone's front stoop and door around here," said Patty-Pat Kozlowski, director of Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic Association.
"We spread the word about the memorial through the grapevine, porch gossip, our two local papers and our five churches - St. George's (Lithuanian), St. Adelbert (Polish), Nativity BVM (Irish), Mother of Divine Grace (Italian) and Our Lady Help of Christians (German)."
Marie's Hair Salon, on Clearfield Street near Almond, sold more than 500 bows. "Owner Marie Contino offered half-price mustache waxing if you buy an Engine 28 bow," Kozlowski said. "I think there were some eyebrows involved but mostly it was upper lips."
The thousand 10-inch bows were handmade at Jean's Crafts, on Allegheny Avenue near Cedar Street, where owner Jean Clayberger decorated her window with photos of the two firefighters and helmets bearing their names.
"We went nuts in here making all those bows," Clayberger said happily. "We didn't want to forget these firemen who were our friends and died because somebody stupidly grew pot in his basement and overheated the wires."
"All of us were saddened and some of us were very angry about that," said Kozlowski. "We want to show Engine 28 that they did not die in vain, and that Port Richmond always takes care of its own."
"An 81-year-old woman wrote a $50 check to Engine 28," she said, "because when her husband fell on the ice near the firehouse 20 years ago, the guys came out, helped him up, took him home.
"For every pie they sell in August, 3 Brothers Pizza on Ontario Street near Thompson, is donating a dollar to Engine 28."
Dennis Raffa, a retired bricklayer who owns Aldo's Italian Water Ice three blocks from the firehouse, got fellow Port Richmond bricklayers - Bob Colomy, Joe Kitz and Matt Stanford - and laborers Sal Zampetella and Rocco Riccardo together, and built the memorial's wall and garden pathway with 1,800 bricks and equipment donated by Bricklayers Local 1.
Thanks to all the donations, Rubio's daughter will be able to fly in from Las Vegas for tomorrow's unveiling.
Harry Enggasser, from Bridesburg, is providing a catered lunch at Engine 28 for all the firefighters who fought the fire that fateful night, and their families.
Larry Almonds, who owns the local Shop Rite, is hosting a catered lunch for 300 firefighters at Pilsudski Fraternal Organization across the street from Engine 28, which is donating its facilities.
Kozlowski said the community rallying behind the memorial reminded her of the late '90s, when a gas explosion at Gaul and Venango streets "blew three houses to smithereens and left three families homeless."
"After countless fund-raising benefits, including 'Roses for Rebuilding' - which was selling hundreds of pink-and-white ribbons with little roses on them, made by Jean's Crafts - we gave those families $22,000 to help them rebuild their lives. We wanted them to stay in Port Richmond, and they did."
Engine 28 has long been on the city's hit list for closure. Although the issue is tied up in the courts, the firehouse is still endangered.
Kozlowski, Contino, Clayberger, Raffa and their neighbors want Engine 28 to stay in Port Richmond. The memorial, they all said, is a way of showing how deeply they care about Engine 28 and its firefighters.
Distributed by the Associated Press
