WORCESTER, Mass. (WPRI) — Firefighters from countless New England departments gathered in Worcester, to say their final goodbyes to Christopher Roy.
“Today isn’t about us,” said Providence Firefighter’s Union President Derek Silva. “It’s about a 36-year-old firefighter with 2 and a half years on the job, and his 9 year old daughter who now doesn’t have a father. It’s a family, no matter which department you’re from.”
More than 500 Rhode Island firefighters attended the funeral of fallen Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy. He was killed following injuries sustained responding to a five alarm fire last week.
Local firefighters were up before dawn, piling into buses to make the journey to Central Massachusetts to honor a man they never knew.
“It’s actually part of our DNA,” said Asst. Chief Kevin Dolan of the Providence Fire Dept. “You don’t just say, ‘I’m gonna be a fireman,’ sometimes you’re born to be. And sometimes when you’re not, you grow into it and you become part of the brotherhood. And we all understand what that means.”
It means supporting other firefighters, regardless of the city they serve.
Outside of St. John’s Catholic Church, first responders lined the street as far as the eye could see. Inside, every seat was filled with men and women in uniform.
In the front row was Roy’s 9-year-old daughter, Ava.
“We pay our deepest respect and condolences to the family. I can’t pretend to know what the family is going through, but we’re here to support them and obviously the Worcester fire department will be there for them every step of the way,” added Asst. Chief Dolan.
The city firefighter’s union has set up a fund at the Worcester Fire Department Credit Union to help Ava.
If you would like to make a donation to “The Ava Roy Fund,” you can mail checks directly to the Worcester Fire Department Credit Union at 34 Glennie St., Worcester, Mass., 01605.
