Joseph Slattery - Fire Fighter - Massachusetts

Firefighter Joseph Slattery, age 47, died on January 27, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts. 

He was a member of the Natick Fire Department. He had 15 years of service. Previous to this he had been a dispatcher for 11 years. 

Joseph died of sarcoma, a form of cancer. His death is considered a line of duty death because of all of the chemicals he breathed in during his firefighting career. 

Fire Department officials describe Joseph as dedicated to his job. He attended many training seminars to improve his skills and knowledge. They also describe him as a model firefighter who was great at his job. 

Fellow firefighters are devastated at his death. 

Saint Florian, Patron
Saint of Firefighters,
pray for Joe

Family members stated that Joe was passionate in his devotion for the Firefighter profession and was known for his total commitment and enthusiasm for fire training and education to improve his own skills and those of his fellow firefighters. He was a devoted father to his children. 

Joseph is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his parents, Joseph and Jeanette Slattery; his sister, Donna Cohen; his brothers Daniel and Michael Slattery; his wife, Maureen Slattery; his daughter, Caitlin; and his sons, Liam and Brendan. 

Thank you for serving, Joe. 

Let us pray that Joseph Slattery is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Hadiya Pendleton - murdered in Chicago

Hadiya Pendleton, age 15, died on January 29, 2013, in Harsh Park on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. 

She was hanging out with about 10 friends after exams. As she was standing under a shelter to get out of the rain, an unidentified male jumped a fence and ran toward her group, firing at them. Hadiya was struck in the back, while another boy was hit in the leg. The shooter then jumped into a car and sped off.

Hadiya and another teen ran but she collapsed a block away. Gang members were at the park where Hadiya was killed but she was not a gang member. It is believed that Hadiya was an unintended target in this shooting. 

Hadiya was an honor student at Chicago’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School.

She was a majorette in the school's marching band which performed at President Obama's inaugural events in Washington D.C. last week. 

Father, place Hadiya on the
stairway to Heaven. 

Family members describe Hadiya as an angel. 

She is also described as a great student and well-liked. She had an interest in attending Northwestern University and had an interest in pharmacy and in journalism. 

Hadiya is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her mother, her father, Nate Pendleton, and her 10 year old brother, Nathaniel Pendleton. 

God save us from the Lost Ones who stalk the Earth stealing away life. Amen. 

Let us pray that Hadiya Pendleton is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Syrian men and boys found executed in Aleppo

80 Syrian men and boys found dead in a muddy ditch

Up to 80 bodies of young men in their 20's and 30's, and teenage boys were found on January 29, 2013, in the Queiq River in Aleppo, Syria. 

Some of the men were dressed in military fatigues, and others in civilian clothes. All were covered in mud. The corpses of two young boys, no older than 11 and 15, were among the dead.

The Queiq River is a concrete ditch.  The bodies were found in the contested neighborhood of Bustan al-Qasr, which has been the site of intense clashes between rebels and government troops for months. 

Aleppo - An old man looking for the body of his son

The Syrian Government has stated that the men were killed by members of al-Qaida. 

Residents of rebel held areas stated that many of these young men from rebel districts when into Government controlled districts to renew their identity cards but didn't return home.  Now they are found dead.  

Was it al-Qaida or Bashar Al-Assad who is responsible for the executions of these men and boys?  Guess......

Pray without ceasing unto God for an end to Bashar Al-Assad, the dictator of Syria.  Amen. 

Pray that Bashar Al-Assad has a visit from this Angel
before he destroys his entire country

Pray that these 80 young men and boys are in Heaven.  Pray that they are at peace and are with God.  Amen. 

God save us from the dictators.  Amen.

Kara Huffman - Law Enforcement - Ontario

Constable Kara Huffman, age 34, died on January 28, 2013, on a highway in Ontario, Canada. 

Kara was involved in a two vehicle collision. The circumstances are unknown at this time. It appears that one of the vehicles crossed the center line. The other driver did not experience life threatening injuries. Roads were icy at the time of this collision. 

She was not on duty at the time of her death.

Kara was a member of the Ontario Provincial Police. Kara graduated from Georgian College's Police Foundations program in 2001. She had joined the Department in 2005. She worked out of the Espanola Ontario Provincial Police Branch. Previously she had worked with the Winnipeg Police Department. 

Michael, Archangel, Patron
Saint of the Police, pray for Kara

Kara had only recently returned from maternity leave to her job. 

Friends describe her as beautiful, vibrant, bubbly, always energetic, with a smile on her face.

Kara, in her own words, had written that her dream was to be a police officer.

Kara is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her husband, Chris; and two very young daughters - Raya and Paige. 

Thank you for serving, Kara. 

Pray for those who die by misadventure. They are with us one moment and gone the next. Amen. 

Let us pray that Kara Huffman is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Jennifer Boyce - murdered in Wisconsin

Jennifer Boyce, age 31, died on January 23, 2013, at her apartment in Madison, Wisconsin. 

Jennifer Boyce

She was stabbed to death by her estranged husband, Bernard Grosso, age 34, who was later found dead at his home of a gunshot wound. 

They were scheduled to finalize their divorce in Court on January 25, 2013.

Jennifer, known as Jenny to her family and friends, was a graduate of Saint Louis University and was an epidemiologist with the state Division of Public Health - Wisconsin.

Officials at her work describe Jennifer as a wonderfully talented and kind individual, who was well liked by her colleagues. 

Bernard Grosso

Others describe her as friendly and helpful. 

Family members describe her as loyal, helpful and a terrific daughter. Their grief is overwhelming. 

Bernard Grosso was a graduate of the University of Illinois. He had worked since 2007 as an analytical chemist. He had also worked as a marine science technician with the Coast Guard from 2002 to 2007.

The couple were married in 2008 but began to part ways in 2011. They had no records with the police of domestic violence. 

Bernard is described as a control freak, obsessive, demeaning and abusive and having a dark side to his personality. He had never been physically abusive before this tragedy. 

Mary, pray for Jenny

Pray for those who die young and tragically. 

God save us from those who say they love us and then kill us. Amen. 

Let us pray that Jennifer Boyce is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Farooq Bhimdi - Store Clerk - murdered in Virginia

Farooq Bhimdi, age 64, died on January 27, 2013, in his convenience store in Henrico County, Virginia. 

Local residents gather for a candlelight vigil
for Farooq Bhimdi

He was shot at least 3 times during a robbery attempt. When police arrived on scene, they found Farooq Bhimdi inside the business suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to VCU Medical Center where he died from his injuries. 

As of this posting, Jamon T. Burroughs, age 19, has been charged with first degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony, in connection with Farooq Bhimdi's murder.

Anyone with information on this crime can call Crime Stoppers anonymously tips at (804) 780-1000.

Farooq was popular in the community. He was nicknamed "Mr. Bean" because of his resemblance to that movie character.

Angels of God, pray for Farooq

Friends stated "He was a beautiful person. Everybody loved him. He never did nothing wrong to nobody."

He is also described as a gentle soul. 

Farooq is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

God save us from the Lost Ones who stalk the Earth stealing away life. Amen. 

Let us pray that Farooq Bhimdi is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Hailey Petee - bullied to death in Ohio

Hailey Petee, age 11, died on January 27, 2013, in her bedroom at her home in London, Ohio.

She had committed suicide. 

Hailey's family state that Hailey was bullied to death. She was a 5th grade student at London Elementary School. 

Family members stated that Hailey was not bullied on school grounds, but was tormented on the bus and sometimes around town by a group of middle school students. 

The bullying became so bad her mother was forced to make changes to her daughter's daily routine. She was transferred to a different bus and she wasn't allowed to go anywhere in town unless it was to a neighbor's or a friend's house. 

Since this tragedy came to light, many more students have claimed they have been bullied in the London School District.

Saint Jude, pray for Hailey

Some claim that Hailey's home life may have played a part in her decision to end her life. Hailey's mother, Melinda Groce, admits she is a recovering drug addict and has been in prison. However, she stated that she takes care of her kids. 

A friend of Hailey's who is also a victim of bullying stated "They harass me on the bus and at recess, whenever they get a chance to, even if we're just in a line or waiting to use the restroom." 

The superintendent of the London School District stated that “We do not turn a deaf ear on any bullying complaints. Some may be handled on an individual basis. If we have areas of improvement in our bullying policy, we are going to work on it."

Duh? No kidding, Sherlock. Get on the case. 

Hailey is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her mother, Melinda Groce.

God save the children from being tormented to death. Amen. 

Let us pray that Hailey Petee is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Manraj Akalirai - killed by way of a sword in Vancouver, Canada

Manraj Akalirai, age 19, died on January 23, 2013, in South Vancouver, Canada. 

At about 10:30 p.m., on a street in Vancouver, he was swarmed by a large group of men. He was partially decapitated with a sword. He was viciously beaten and left in the middle of a road. 

Several weapons were used in Vancouver's first homicide in 2013, including bats, clubs and a sword. 

Manraj Akalirai did not have a criminal record, but he was known to Police and there are suggestions the attack had ties to the drug trade and a loose gang connection.

His family denies those allegations and describes Manraj as a well-mannered, humble and respectful individual.

Numerous people have been arrested in connection with this tragedy and have been released.

It has been suggested that Manraj was a sweet, innocent man who may have been targeted in a plot to silence him for co-operating with police. He had been stabbed in October of 2012 and was co-operating with police in the investigation, and was continually harassed by his attackers, therefore he could have been targeted.

Father, place Manraj on
the road to Heaven. 

Manraj is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

Pray for those who die young and violently. Amen. 

Pray for all who get involved in the drug trade. Pray for those who are stabbed at age 18 and who are killed at age 19.  Amen. 

Let us pray that Manraj is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

God save us from drugs.  Amen. 

Pissed off Solomon Islanders kill 1,000 Dolphins

During the last 2 weeks, villagers living in Fanalei on the island of Malaita, in the Solomon Islands, have killed over 1,000 dolphins.

Barbarism Alert -
Solomon Islands

The reason? The villagers are pissed off that they didn't get money they were promised. 

The villagers are saying they were underpaid by the Earth Island Institute - an American-based group that works to conserve ecosystems around the world.

People from the village of Fanalei, on the island of Malaita, claim that the institute had made a deal to pay up to $400,000 Australian dollars to stop the killing of dolphins. However only about $120,000. Australian dollars had been received. 

Solomon Islanders - pissed off and holding dead dolphins

The killing of dolphins is seen as a traditional practice on the island and provides meat and income for villagers. Dolphin teeth are also traditionally used to pay a bride's price.

Dolphin Slaughter - Denmark

The villagers had acted in retaliation for underpayment. It has been reported that the villagers felt disappointed and dissatisfied over the attitude of Earth Island.

The Earth Island Institute has called the dolphin slaughter an evil act and will not provide any more funds to the villagers. They stated: "This is a tragedy. It's bad for dolphins. It's bad for the community. It's bad for the Solomon Islands as a nation to have this blot on the record."

Whatever the circumstances, a shitload of dolphins have been slaughtered for no reason.

Dolphins are intelligent mammals. When they are trapped and killed they scream out, sounding very much like a human child, as they are sliced and hacked apart while still alive and conscious.

Jesus, Mary and all saints pray for us.  Is everything done for money in this world? 

God help us all. God save us from greed. Amen.

Cannibalism in North Korea?

Barbarism Alert -
North Korea

There have been several reports from various news sources lately pointing to cannibalism in North Korea, presumably due to famine-induced hunger.

Famines are on-going in North Korea and have been for decades.

* It is suspected that at least 10,000 North Koreans perished from starvation in provinces south of Pyongyang in 2012.

* An informant in South Hwanghae said: In my village in May, a man who killed his own two children and tried to eat them was executed by a firing squad. While his wife was away on business he killed his eldest daughter and, because his son saw what he had done, he killed his son as well. When the wife came home, he offered her food, saying: 'We have meat.' But his wife, suspicious, notified the Ministry of Public Security, which led to the discovery of part of their children's bodies under the eaves.

North Korean kid, grubbing
for rice in the marketplace

* Another informant inside North Korean told of a a man was arrested for digging up the grave of his grandchild and eating the remains. 

Hundreds of Millions of
dollars for one North
Korean rocket launch.
But no money for food.

The above may or may not be true. Who knows? But it is true that during the years 1994 to 1998, between 800,000 and 1.5 million North Koreans died due to starvation, disease, or sickness caused by lack of food.

It is true that North Korea is run by a dynasty of dictators. 

It is true that North Korea has money for rockets, nuclear bomb research and a huge, bloated military. 

They just don't have money for food.  Huh???

God save the world from the dictators. Amen

Christina Lazzana-Webster - murdered in Michigan

Christina Lazzana-Webster, age 33, died on January 26, 2013, at her home in Eastpointe, Michigan.

Christina was found dead with a gunshot wound to her chest when officers went to her house on David Street to check on her welfare.

She and her husband, Anthony Webster, were the co-owners of Big Top Popcorn on Gratiot Avenue in Eastpointe.

At this time, Police consider this a "domestic case" but no further details have been released as yet. 

Christina is well known in the Eastpointe community and was active in the Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. Her death is described as a tremendous loss to the community. 

Light a candle for Christina.
Light her way to Heaven.

Friends describe her as an extremely bright business person, very energetic and very positive. 

Local officials describe her as very hardworking. 

Christina is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her mother, sister and her two children.

God save us from those who say they love us and then kill us. Amen. 

Let us pray that Christina is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Rick Riggenbach - Law Enforcement - Louisiana

Sergeant Rick Riggenbach, age 52, died in the line of duty on January 26, 2013, in Charenton, Louisiana.

Rick was a member of the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department. He had 15 years of service in law enforcement. 

He and two St. Mary Parish deputies responded to reports of a mobile home fire and an armed subject on Flatown Road, near, Charenton shortly after 9:00 a.m. The fire was reported just off of tribal land about one quarter mile from a Chitimacha-owned casino.

Michael, Archangel, Patron
Saint of the Police, pray
for Rick

When Sergeant Riggenbach arrived at the scene the subject shot him with a shotgun, fatally wounding him. The subject then opened fire on the two St. Mary Parish deputies as they arrived at the scene moments later. Both deputies were critically wounded. After the house fire was extinguished the body of its owner, an elderly man, was discovered in the debris. 

The subject, Wilbert Thibodeaux, age 48, of Charenton, is being held in the Iberia Parish Jail on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempt first-degree murder and one count of arson in the incident. He has a history of mental illness and sometimes sleeps in cemeteries. 

Police officials stated that Rick Riggenbach's actions in this confrontation saved others but did not elaborate. 

Rick is survived by many loving friends and family members including his wife and two adult children. 

Thank you for serving, Rick. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty. 

Let us pray that Rick Riggenbach is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Michael Slagle - Law Enforcement - Tennessee

Trooper Michael Slagle, age 53, died in the line of duty on January 25, 2013, in Knox County, Tennessee.

Michael was a member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He had over 32 years of service in law enforcement. 

His patrol car slid off the roadway after striking a patch of ice. Despite being stuck in his vehicle, he was able to notify dispatchers of the crash and rescue crews were sent to the scene. A responding fire truck slid on the same patch of ice and flipped over on top of his patrol car while he was still inside.

At some point during the incident Trooper Slagle suffered a fatal heart attack.

Michael, Archangel, Patron
Saint of the Police, pray for
Michael Slagle

He graduated from Rutledge High School in 1978. He served with the Granger County Sheriff's Office from 1978 - 1985. He joined the Highway Patrol in 1986. He served in Campbell, Union and Knox Counties. He was currently assigned to supreme court detail in Knox County. 

Police Officials stated that Michael was a model trooper and good man. He will be missed by all who knew him. 

Michael is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his wife and daughter. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty. 

Thank you for serving, Michael. 

Let us pray that Michael Slagle is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

The End Times are Near - what a load of Bull

Today, I got up at about 4:00 a.m. and turned on the TV sometime between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. 

The channel was set to a channel I had watched the night before. And what comes up? - Christian Evangelicals, whooping and hollering and "amen"-ing and "hallelujah"-ing. 

And over what, you ask?  

The End Times are Near!! 

Again and again and again, these people come up with this crap. Every day is the last day of the planet. 

Jerusalem 2,000 years
ago - 2 weeks
after the crucifixion
of Jesus - "Did you
hear that the End is Near?"

Jesus was crucified and two weeks later there were Christians screaming that the End Times were Near. 

What a load of bull. 

The Earth is 4.5 billion years old. One day it will come to the end of its life. 

But it won't be tomorrow and it won't be because these wing nuts are whooping and hollering for Jesus to come down and "lift them up" as the world disintegrates. 

God help us. God save us from the freaks. Amen.

Abdul Rawas - Store Clerk murdered in New Haven, Connecticut

Abdul Rawas, age 55, died on January 22, 2013, in his small convenience store in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Abdul was shot in the back and arm at about 11:00 a.m. by a male robber.

He was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

If you have information regarding this crime, please contact New Haven Police Detectives at 203-668-3022 or 203-687-0544.

Angels of God, pray for Abdul 

Friends are shocked at this killing. They describe Abdul as a very good man. He had been robbed 5 or 6 times before. He always gave up the money. There was no reason to kill him.

Other friends stated that Abdul would always help people out. Many times he gave food to people who were destitute.

Abdul is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

God save us from the thieves who steal away our money and then our lives. Amen. 

Let us pray that Abdul Rawas is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Melissa Ketunuti - murdered in Philadelphia

Melissa Ketunuti, age 35, died on January 21, 2013, in the basement of her home in Philadelphia. 

Melissa Ketunuti

She had been hogtied, strangled and set on fire. 

There were no signs of forced entry and no sexual assault. She lived alone with her dog. She had been living in her house for about 3 years. 

Jason Smith

Melissa was a pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She had earned a doctorate in medicine from Stanford University. In the summer of 2005, she worked on an AIDS research fellowship in Botswana through the National Institutes of Health. She also completed internships at Johns Hopkins Hospital and New York University.

Neighbors described her as super pleasant, very friendly and full of life. 

Hospital officials describe her at a warm, caring, earnest, bright young woman with her whole future ahead of her. She was admired and respected by her colleagues. 

Others stated "She dedicated her whole life to being a doctor and helping kids with cancer. It's very, very unfortunate that she died in this manner."

Saint Bernadette of
Lourdes, pray for
Melissa

She was an avid traveler and liked to go hiking and running in her free time.

 

Jason Smith, age 36, an exterminator, has been charged with the murder of Melissa Ketunuti. It is alleged that he had an appointment for extermination work at Melissa's home, arrived there, got into an argument with her and then killed her.

Melissa is survived by many loving friends and relatives including her mother and father, and her boyfriend. 

God save us from the Lost Ones who stalk the Earth stealing away life. Amen. 

Let us pray that Melissa Ketunuti is in heaven. Let us pray that she is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Krzysztof Wozniak

Polish soldier Krzysztof Wozniak, age 36, died on January 23, 2013, of wounds sustained while supporting an Afghan unit during a raid in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. 

He was a member of an elite GROM unit. 

He joined the Polish Army in 1996. This was his fourth deployment to Afghanistan. 

Military officials stated that Krzysztof was a very experienced soldier and that his death was a huge loss for the Polish Army in Afghanistan. 

Krzysztof is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his wife and 3 young children. 

Pray for Krzysztof

Thank you for serving, Krzysztof.

Let us pray that Krzysztof Wozniak is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Mark Schoonhoven

Sgt. Mark H. Schoonhoven, age 38, of Plainwell, Michigan, died on January 20, 2013, at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device on December 15, 2012, in Kabul, Afghanistan. 

He was assigned to the 32nd Transportation Company, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Mark joined the Army in 2006. He had previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2007-2008 and again in 2009-2010.

Light a candle for Mark.
Light his way to Heaven.

His decorations include two Army commendation medals, a National Defense Service medal and a NATO medal.

Friends and comrades describe him as down to Earth, helpful and caring. He is also described as humorous and courageous. 

Mark is survived by many loving friends and relatives.

Thank you for serving, Mark. 

Pray for those who linger and suffer. Amen.

Let us pray that Mark Schoonhoven is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

Ramiro Ocasio - a Good Samaritan in New York

Ramiro

Ramiro Ocasio, age 33, saved a stranger's life on January 18, 2013, in New York City. 

He was doing what he does every Friday afternoon, listening to music and waiting for the train home to Astoria, Queens.

He said "I see people rushing passed me and when I turn around I see an old man in the middle of the tracks crawling. The elderly man fell on the tracks at the busy 59th Street Lexington Avenue Subway Station around 4:00 p.m. 

The Good Samaritans come quickly to
the aid of others

Ramiro said "I'm like this is just not happening to me. It can't happen in front of my eyes."

Within seconds, Ramiro jumped on the tracks seeing no other option. He said "I grabbed him by his collar and his pants and threw him to the platform. Don't ask me how because I'm not a strong dude."

Ramiro wasn't strong enough to pull himself back up onto the platform. Four or five people had to hoist the 33-year-old hero up onto the platform, hurting his knee in the process.

Pray for men like Ramiro Ocasio. 

They come to the aid of others, selflessly. Amen. 

Pray for more men like Ramiro Ocasio. They are the silent heroes of this era. They help others at their own risk. Amen.

Barbarism Alert - gas plant workers killed in Algeria

Barbarism Alert -
Algeria

An Al-Quaeda band of militants attacked a natural gas plant in Ain Amenas, Algeria, where hundreds of foreign workers were employed, and took hostages. 

The Ain Amenas gas plant, jointly run by British Petroleum, Norway's Statoil and the Algerian state oil company, is located deep in the Sahara, some 800 miles from the coast, with few population centers nearby.

As of this date, reports are conflicting, but at least 37 hostages were killed. 

Hostages surrendering to Al-Quaeda in Ain Amenas

Algerian Government officials stated that 29 militants died in the attack and three were captured. The group came from northern Mali and included fighters from all over North Africa as well as two Canadians, who managed to sneak across hundreds of miles of desert, across the borders of Libya and Niger before finally entering Algeria. 

Mokhtar Belmokhtar
the instigator of
these murders

A group called the Masked Brigade claimed the operation saying it was in retaliation for Algeria's support of a French military operation against extremist groups in northern Mali.

Mokhtar Belmokhtar, age 41, has claimed responsibility for this action. He says “We are ready to negotiate with the West and the Algerian government, provided they stop their bombing of Mali’s Muslims.”

Belmokhtar is a veteran guerrilla who fought in Afghanistan in the 1980's and in Algeria’s civil war in the 1990's. It was reportedly while in Afghanistan that he lost an eye, earning him the nickname "Laaouar", Arabic for one-eyed.

He is believed to have made tens of millions of dollars by kidnapping westerners.

Pray for those who have died during this hostage taking incident. They are the innocents. Amen. 

God save us from those who value religion and politics and money over human life.  They spout dogma and slit your throat at the same time.  Who, with a soul, does this? 

God help us all. God save us from the freaks.  Amen. 

Matthew Porcari - Firefighter - New York State

Firefighter Matthew Porcari, age 34, died in the line of duty on January 22, 2013, in Newark Valley, New York. 

Matt was a volunteer member of the Owego Fire Department, New York. 

Matt and Dan Gavin (age 28) were attending a late night house fire in rural Newark Valley, about 60 miles south of Syracuse in Tioga County when they fell through the floor of the burning building. 

Matt died from his injuries and Dan Gavin was hospitalized with more minor injuries. 

Saint Florian, Patron
Saint of Firefighters,
pray for Matt

Fire Department officials stated that Matt was a captain in Owego’s Company 3. He had been with the department since 1995 and he was a dedicated fireman and captain. 

Matthew Porcari, Dan Gavin and others in their fire Company had volunteered in the Hurricane Sandy relief effort. 

Matt is survived by many loving friends and relatives. 

Pray for all who die while coming to the aid of others. Amen. 

Let us pray that Matthew Porcari is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.