Former FDNY, Bayville Firefighter's 9/11 Legacy Lives On Through Family

BAYVILLE, NY — Eddie Doyle was working in his Huntington yard when he was detailed to his South Bronx FDNY firehouse the day of the Sep. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He made his way to the firehouse, grabbed his gear, and headed to Ground Zero.

This September marks nine years since Eddie died from 9/11-related injuries.

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"We physically lost my brother Sep. 1, 2017, but we really lost a piece of him on 9/11," John said. "It changed him. It changed his demeanor, zest for life. It was hard."

Growing up in Bayville with his three brothers and parents, Eddie was a family-centered man, his brother John Doyle said. The four brothers regularly golfed together. Eddie cared deeply about his family and community and was a member of the Bayville Fire Department alongside John before becoming a member of FDNY Engine 82.

"We were the typical Irish Catholic family," John said, adding that the brothers were all close with their parents. "We worked side-by-side with our dad on our house. We all lived in one small bedroom, a bunk bed and two individual beds. We couldn't get any closer than that. Our families all remain close, as we've done throughout all our lives."

Eddie was committed to helping others, as well as his three children, wife, and extended family, John said. But the aftermath of the terrorist attacks had a lasting effect on Eddie — and not just on his physical health.

"During 9/11, we would go weeks without hearing from him," John said. "He would check in from time to time, but he was dealing with the time he spent there and going to funerals. It was having a real emotional toll on him."

Eddie was 53 years old when he died. He suffered from pulmonary issues after working at the pile, underwent numerous surgeries, and began having trouble breathing around 2013, John said.

In 2017, he relocated from Long Island to South Carolina, where he fell ill and was admitted to the ICU. His family flew down to be with him, and he was eventually transferred to Mount Sinai in New York.

"As they were assessing him and his treatment plans, he took a turn for the worse," John said. "They sat us down and said there's not much they could do."

They moved Eddie into hospice on Sep. 1, 2017, and the family was planning on visiting.

"We knew it was the end," he said. "I got the phone call driving home that my brother had passed moments after they moved him into hospice. It was almost like he knew [it was time]."

Through hospital visits and heartbreak, John said he and his family found support in the FDNY. The organization provided transportation to their parents from Long Island to Manhattan every day so they could visit their son.

"The FDNY was unbelievable," he said. "The fire service comes together when people are in need."

He added that his community stepped up for his brother and family, providing financial support as well as meals and other expenses.

"People around us contributed and supported us," he said.

Although John did not work the pile at Ground Zero as Eddie did, he responded as part of the Bayville Fire Department's efforts in the aftermath of 9/11. He also worked near the World Trade Center, and it took years until he could return to that part of Manhattan.

"Many people that I knew through the fire service and through my time on Wall Street had died that day," he said. "It just really wasn't something that I wanted to come to grips with. It was tough navigating everything, especially with Eddie."

One of Eddie and John's nieces reminded the family that Eddie admired the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and had supported many of its events in South Carolina before his death. She encouraged the family to join the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in Eddie's honor.

Team DoyleStrong82 was formed out of love and honor for Eddie and has transformed into a larger movement over the years.

"It really is just an emotional thing," John said. "You can't really put it into words. You have to kind of experience it yourself."

The team first attended Tunnel to Towers in 2017, just weeks after laying Eddie to rest. "And we've been back every year since."

What started as 20 family members and friends walking in his memory has grown to about 120 supporters, and John said they expect a similar turnout for this year's Tunnel to Towers walk.

"We are so fortunate to be surrounded by an abundance of love and support in Eddie's name each year," John said. "As the family grows, the movement grows."

Following in Eddie's service footsteps, his son is now a member of the FDNY at a South Bronx firehouse, working alongside some people who knew his father.

For John, what he remembers most about Eddie is how much he loved his family and the things he was passionate about.

"Eddie was always really driven," he said. "He was the first to go off to college."

The brothers all wrestled in high school, but it was Eddie who took it to the next level by participating in camps to train further.

"He loved his family," he said. "He loved being around for the holidays. Christmas was his favorite. He'd start watching Christmas shows and movies in October every year."

It was Eddie who organized family trips, including a trip to Disney.

"He really loved being together with family, and loved his nieces and nephews. He never missed a family gathering," John said.

Although not formally formed as a nonprofit yet, John said they do raise money in Eddie's honor.

"It's important that whatever we donate to has a connection to Ed," John said.

He added that some of the money has gone to a local youth wrestling program and to organizations supported by one of Eddie's daughters, a schoolteacher who helps less fortunate families and children.

"It's a great way to remember him," John said.