Nanuet Firefighters Travel To Atlanta For Final Salute to 9-Year-Old Patrick Chance

When 9-year-old Patrick Chance of Atlanta died Monday after a battle with cancer, the death hit Nanuet volunteer firefighters as if one of their own had died.

To members of the Nanuet Fire Department, Patrick was indeed one of their own since they made him an honorary member of the department in 2008. Because of that close relationship that develop with the boy and his family, four members of the Nanuet Fire Department are going to Atlanta to serve as an honor guard at services for Patrick.

"The guys really felt close to him," said Harold Straut, chairman of the Nanuet Board of Fire Commissioners and one of the members who will be going to Atlanta. "To us, he was one of our members."

Patrick died Monday, on his 9th birthday, at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He suffered from neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer. A funeral service for Patrick is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church. Calling hours are on Friday at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill Chapel.

Straut said he and the other Nanuet firefighters will be at the wake and at Saturday's service.

"Because it's a kid, this has hit some of us really hard," Straut said.

Nanuet firefighters got to know Patrick as they visited with him and other children undergoing cancer treatment at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center in nearby New York City. In 2008, Nanuet firefighters officially made Patrick an honorary member at an induction ceremony at the firehouse — giving Patrick his own firefighter uniform and firefighting gear.