A Hero Laid To Rest: Thousands Gather For Funeral Of FDNY Firefighter William Tolley

Thousands of mourners gathered to honor Bethpage resident and FDNY firefighter William Tolley during his funeral Thursday morning.

FDNY members, as well as Suffolk, Nassau and NYPD officers all stood in front of the Saint Martin of Tours Church in Bethpage.

Uniformed officers all stood side-by-side in a line stretching for several blocks in front of the church along Central Avenue.

Tolley's coffin, covered with an FDNY flag, was lowered from a truck while bagpipers played "Amazing Grace."

Hundreds packed the small church but many more gathered outside to watch the funeral from several large television screens and speakers set up.

Trees and signs surrounding the church all tied with red ribbons in T0lley's honor.

Several elected officials were also present including Nassau Executive Edward Mangano and his wife Linda and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who gave a touching eulogy.

"His life was rich, so rich in fact that it makes the loss even more raw and painful," de Blasio said. "But let’s take stock and remember, a rich life, a full life, a life lived the way we all should live, that was Billy’s life.”

Father Patrick Woods also spoke about Tolley and his family, recalling how the longtime churchgoers recently attended Easter Sunday Mass at the church.

"Event though his life was cut short, from what I heard in those 42 years he did a lot of living," he said. "He touched many lives starting with his own family and his brothers and sisters in the fire department and so many others."

In addition, Tolley was preparing for his 8-year-old daughter Bella's first communion, which will take place on Saturday.

He also recalled how Tolley loved being a firefighter.

"It was a job to him, it was a calling," he said.

Tolley, 42, was working on the roof of a burning building in Ridgewood, Queens, last Thursday afternoon along with other members of Ladder 135 when he fell to his death. The circumstances of his death are under investigation.

Tolley is the 1,147th member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty.

He was also the drummer in the death metal band Internal Bleeding, which was set to embark on a nationwide tour at the end of May.