Born in the Bronx on February 26, 1966, Michael Shanley was the firstborn son of Brenda and Jim Shanley. He used to like to say he lived a “hard 36 months in the Bronx” before his parents moved the little family to Rockland County.

Mike was raised in an active community where he played baseball, fished, and did Boy Scouts as well as hockey and lacrosse at school. Mike and his family enjoyed skiing and visiting historic sites in the area. He graduated from Clarkstown South High School and attended SUNY Potsdam and SUNY New Paltz, where he obtained his degree in computer science.

As a kid, Mike visited his dad’s firehouse and heard about “the job.” Even as he studied computer science, he knew he wanted to join FDNY one day. On April 17,1993, he took the oath and joined his dream job. He returned to the North Bronx as a firefighter in Ladder 39, moving to the South Bronx when he became a lieutenant at Ladder 27. Mike could tell plenty of stories about fires, car pile ups, or weird water leaks, but most of all he loved the men he worked with. Funny or frustrating, warm or weird, heroic or crazy, he loved them all! His stories of the men he worked with would fill our nights with chatter.

Mike’s primary love was his family, his wife Brigid and his son Liam. He delighted in teaching Liam “life skills” in scouting and coaching him in youth lacrosse. Mike’s experience in sports led him not only to coach, but also to lead the local youth lacrosse league. He was an avid fan of any sport Liam played and a mean tailgate organizer!

Mike enjoyed working on his ‘68 Camaro and ‘66 Impala. It was not uncommon to find him and guys from the firehouse bent over the engine of some car, classic or not, working to fix or improve it. Car shows, swap meets, races—any excuse to see those American muscle cars and buy a new tool to work on them.

Mike worked with FDNY for 29 years, years that took their toll. Most significant was the damage from 9/11. As the damage to his lungs became apparent, he moved from the firehouse to the training center, where he put his considerable computer talent to work. He retired from there in April of 2022, after 29 years of service. He was diagnosed with 9/11-related pancreatic cancer a year later. He fought as hard as he ever did but passed away on April 21, 2024, at home with Brigid, Liam, his mother Brenda, and all his family, including his FDNY family, surrounding him. He is missed every day, remembered in the stories told, the jokes, and the outrageous number of tools he amassed in his garage.