In the fall, FDNY Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy would rake the leaves in his yard into a great big pile, lie down, and let his three children cover him so that moments later he could erupt from the leaves and chase each giggling child, warning of the “leaf monster.” In the summer, he would spend hours in the ocean, tossing each child in the waves, never seeming to tire. Upon arriving home from the firehouse, he would lie down on the floor to play checkers with them. Then he would coax them to sleep with bedtime stories read by their stuffed animals, each paired with an uncharacteristic voice, like his daughter’s cloth baby doll who sounded like Jimmy Cagney, or his son’s stuffed bear who spoke with a British accent and voiced displeasure at living amongst such an undignified crew. Once the children were asleep, he would play the guitar for his wife, singing requested songs. He brought laughter and comfort everywhere he went. His family adores him and always will.

Chief Fahy was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday morning, September 27, 2016, following a gas explosion at a suspected illegal drug lab in the Bronx. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of deputy chief, having passed the exam for deputy chief in 2013. His ascension in rank was the second fastest in the history of the New York City Fire Department. Fahy graduated from New York Law School in 1998, having served as editor-in-chief of the law review. He joined an international law firm as an associate but left the firm a year later to join the FDNY. In 2012, Fahy earned a master’s in homeland security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Mike Fahy’s legacy will forever be one of a humble man who put others before himself; a leader who wanted to protect and serve others; and a devoted and loving father, husband, son, brother, neighbor, friend, and coach. He is survived by his wife, Fiona; children, Michael (11), Anna (8), and Cormac (6); his parents, Ret. FDNY BC Thomas Fahy and Mary; brother, Thomas (Tina); sisters, Mary (Steve) and Margaret (Brian); twelve nieces and nephews; and extraordinary friends.