Daniel Bove was born July 19, 1967, in Bethpage, New York. He was extremely active growing up. He played sports, especially hockey. He was an avid cyclist throughout his life. He loved nature and walking through the woods, exploring hidden areas. He gave me a greater appreciation for sunsets, always making sure I looked at them when we were out and saying to me, “Look at that sunset. There will never be another like that again.” He had a great deal of fondness for animals, especially our cats, “the girlies,” Glamour and Junior. He was intelligent and inquisitive but had trouble sitting still in school. He loved music, mainly classic rock and especially The Beatles. He had an uncanny ability to remember the lyrics to almost any song in rock history. And he enjoyed reading about music and biographies.

He became a firefighter in February 1999. And even though he had bronchitis, he went through with the training at the Fire Academy, graduating second in his class. He would often mention to me that when he was at the firehouse overnight, he would lie in his bunk and wonder why he was chosen to be a firefighter. And I would say to him, “Danny, you’re a firefighter because of who you are. You’re brave, you stay calm in a crisis, you’re always early for work, you’re thorough, you are always patient and reassuring to people during a medical emergency. And most importantly you are humble about your job.” He was always grateful for the opportunity to become a firefighter.

Right after 9/11, we met. After being at Ground Zero, he began to volunteer for the organization United for the Troops, selling T-shirts, putting together care packages to send to the troops, attending fundraisers, and raising attention about the importance of remembering the troops and doing something to help.

On May 17, 2009, responding to a call, Danny brought a person back to life using a defibrillator and CPR, for which he received a Save Commendation. I was so proud of him.

When he was diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 2017, he was optimistic that everything would be fine. He went through surgery, chemotherapy, and other procedures to no avail. He died on November 26, 2018.

He left behind a legacy of not only selfless good works, but also true devotion as a son, brother, son-in-law, and husband. There isn’t a day I don’t think of him and the love and life he gave me. I will always remember his smile and the ways he would make me laugh. Thank you, Danny, for being my forever valentine.