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(New York-WABC, December 9, 2004) -- Thousands of firefighters from across the country will march to St. Benedict's Church in the Bronx this morning. They will escort the body of firefighter Christian Engeldrum, the first city worker to die in combat in Iraq. Lisa Colagrossi is live now with more from the Bronx.
This is expected to be a huge funeral. Governor George Pataki and Mayor Michael Bloomber will be among the mourners here this morning.
It will be a tough goodbye for a man who gave so much to his city, country and family.
Christian Engeldrum is the first firefighter, the first city employee, to die in Iraq. Thousands have marked his passing, turning out for his wake in the Bronx.
The 39-year-old spent the past five and a half years as one of New York s Bravest. Before that, he was a police officer. To the men at a Ladder Company 61 in Co-op City, he went by the nickname "Drum."
They say he was the kind of man you needed at your side and that no one could talk Engeldrum out of volunteering for combat.
Jacques Raphael, Army National Guard: "Engeldrum, what he did, was a great thing. Not many would have done what he did. He volunteered to do the service."
He was a sergeant in the U.S. National Guard, a veteran of Desert Storm. He left the Bronx on November 2nd for Iraq. On November 29th, he was killed by a roadside bomb.
He went into combat saying he would fight terrorism so his two young sons wouldn't have to.
Lt. Brian Horton, FDNY Ladder Company 61: "In the firehouse, it is like a family. We live together, we eat together, we have social functions together. We call each other brother. When somebody -- when we lose somebody in this manner, it is like losing a member of your family."
He leaves behind his family, two children and a wife who is pregnant.
They will be taken care of, says the city. The state legislature just passed a measure to give him full, line of duty death benefits which means his family will receive his full annual salary for life.
Related:
- Up to 10,000 Expected for New York Firefighter's Funeral
- Mayor Backs Plan to Hike Death Pay for FDNY Member Killed in Iraq
- New Jersey Firefighter Killed On Patrol While Serving In Iraq War
- Firefighters Lose Another 9/11 Hero - This Time In The Iraq War
- FDNY FF Killed in Iraq, Second Wounded in Blast
- FDNY Comrade Braved Injury To Aid His Pals
- Long Island Firefighter Dies in Iraq
- Md. Firefighter Killed in Iraq
- Engeldrum Born To Be A Hero
- City Bids For Full Pension For FDNY Bravest Killed in Iraq
