Remembering Brian Carey: One Year Later

On the one-year anniversary of firefighter Brian Carey’s death, Homewood’s Fire Chief Robert Grabowski says the tragedy is still taking its toll on grief-stricken firefighters. 

“The first year is the toughest,” Grabowski said. “Time heals all wounds, but this is taking a little bit longer.”

Carey was killed while attempting to put out a Homewood fire last March. It was the first time in the Homewood Fire Department's history that a firefighter was killed in the line of duty. According to Grabowski, Homewood’s firefighters are still not particularly comfortable talking about the painful memories.

“Everybody is just very, I’d say somber right now,” Grabowski said. “(There is) a lot of concern for the family, specifically, what is going on with them. We talk to them… quite frequently.”

Grabowski said that special attention is being put into offering support to the firefighters during this time of remembrance.

“We’re watching our own personnel and our own membership, making sure they’re doing okay because it was a tragic thing, especially for those who were involved,” Grabowski said. “He died under very difficult circumstances. It just makes it a little bit harder than what the normal grieving process would be.”

Homewood firefighters have made several efforts to honor Carey’s service and to keep his memory alive. In March, for example, Homewood Firefighters donned memorial green hats for Carey to remember him in an upbeat way.

According to Grabowski, Homewood’s Fire Department insisted that the only people who could wear the caps are immediate members of the Fire Department and Carey’s family.

“We want to keep it special,” Grabowski said. “We want to make sure nobody forgets.”

In addition, on May 12 Carey will be honored at the Medal of Honor ceremony in Springfield. The HFD will also formally dedicate their 191^st Street training facility to Carey on May 22. Grabowski said that Carey’s mother is excited about the event because she is looking forward to hearing some of the stories that his fellow firefighters have to tell from their days together at the firehouse.

“Every firehouse has its stories,” Grabowski said. “That is kind of what makes the fire service what it is … it’s part of the brotherhood.”

As for Grabowski, he offers a simple, elegant memory of Carey.

“He was a very positive, aggressive firefighter … a typical Irish Catholic South Side firefighting kid,” Grabowski said. “We are grateful to have had him for the time that we (did).”