it all started being born into a firefighting family my grandfather was the asst.chief of saratoga springs and my father was the chauffer of l-568 the citys ladder truck.I loved going down to the station and hanging out with dad i guess you would say the bug bit me at the age of 5 when i went down to the main station with summer camp for a tour i was skipping and jumping the hole 10 blocks my counsler ask what was up and i turned to her with a smile ear to ear and said i get to see my dad and she said no where going to the fire house i said i know.She looked at me and said your dad is a firefighter and i said no she said then how are you going to him and i said because hes a hero who rides the big red truck.When we got down there the guys all gave me a high 5 and yelled for dad and said i was there next thing you know i was the coolest kid. the alarm rang out and dad came down the pole ran over kissed me on the head and said love you sport i said blow the horn for me dad love you to.Ill never forget that day see the call came 4 years later it was the chief he said to mom that there was an accident and that she should meet the ambulance at the er well we lived right across the street from the emergency room so she dropped the phone and darted across the street as the neighboor watched us i remeber sitting on the porch refusing to move till i saw that he was alive.He fell down to the engine room floor from the opening landing flat breaking his back for months on end he layed on the couch with guys stopping by and helping my mom and right then and there i said to myself im going to do what dad did 7 years latter i joined the department that was 15 years ago and to this day we do the same thing if im home i look at them tell them i love them and out i go i never thought i would see him cry until the day i got taken to the er covered in blood and noone knew where it was coming from we were at an all hands in station 1 cover area and i was in on a line when the window i was near implouded inbeeding me with class i was so focused never even felt it 10 stitches latter i was on the way home and man did i get the speech.Then they noticed that i became a man when i volunteered for 9/11 3 times i had no idea but my chief and my mom notified the county that i went and i got a letter in the mail that i neede to be in dress uniform and in the county chambers well i never thought we were being honored for going i thought the fire car and emo where going to flip out they held this big ceramony and gave us all plaques and i turned to mom and said why you crying and she said her babys a man and i said no mom im just your son with a gift that dad and you taught me theres been times where ive wanted to give up but then i notice the feeling you get when you save a life or a house or help yes the cat out of a tree i cant go anywhere in my county now without hereing my name and it makes me smile and proud to know that im liked and respected for my sacrafise of a normal life i wouldnt change it for nothing.