New York, New York
Strumming in the Park
Among the city's thousands of firefighters, Vincent Kane stood out. He lived on the Upper East Side and spent hours in the galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And he went to performances of the New York Philharmonic ‹ something that still amazes his friends in Engine Company 22. "Most firefighters don't even know what the Philharmonic is," said one of them, Michael Ruddick.
He was also an environmentalist who regularly patrolled the firehouse trash bins for recyclables. And not long ago, he became a vegetarian ‹ though the other firefighters insisted on piling red meat onto his plate anyway. "My daughter would be serving turkey on a holiday, and he would have the artificial kind," said his mother, Joan. "We had to laugh when he'd do that."
Firefighter Kane, 37, grew up in Breezy Point, Queens, where he became a volunteer fireman at 17. "He was always giving," Mrs. Kane said. He loved to play tunes by the Grateful Dead or the Beatles on his guitar. His neighbors on East 80th Street, who nicknamed him "the Mayor," listened for the music wafting softly from his apartment late at night.
He kept a guitar in his locker at the firehouse, too, and would sometimes announce to his colleagues that he was heading out to play it in the park. "I used to tell him he was straying as far away from the normal firefighter stereotype as he possibly could," Mr. Ruddick said.
I recently visited the site, and randomly took a picture of Mr. Kane's name. I have been reading about him and what an amazing man he was, and thought I would share and let you know that even strangers are still thinking about him. RIP Vincent.
Mark Keller
December 17, 2024
My first day at the memorial I saw this image and it just affected me deeply, came home and read about Vincent, what an amazing person he must have been.
Ruby Buentello
August 08, 2024 | Other
thinking of you today, Vinny. Keep on shining bright, brave one!
Friends
May 27, 2024 | Friend
To Vincent´s family and friends, please know that he is not forgotten. I carried his badge last year at the FDIC 9/11 Stair Climb in Indianapolis, and will do so again this year. Based on his bio I believe we would have a lot in common.
Adam
April 17, 2024
My sister Andrea and I met Vincent Kane once, almost 25 years ago, in October 1999. We had been on a Caribbean cruise, then flew up to visit our friend Sean in New York City on our way home to Vancouver BC. After a day of sightseeing, we went to a restaurant for dinner where we met up with some of Sean’s friends. One of them was Vinny Kane, a handsome firefighter who used to be a New York policeman. Vinny had just come back from a trip to Italy to visit family so he entertained us with...
Tracy Jones
April 12, 2024 | Vancouver, BC | Acquaintance
Still can almost hear , "Hey Folks".. .Om mani padme hum
Larry Roll
September 11, 2022 | Watwick, NY | Friend
Vinnie at a Grateful Dead show , maybe our last ~'95
Larry Roll
March 17, 2021 | Warwick, NY | Friend
Can’t believe it’s been 19 years and the last time I saw Vinny was Christmas Eve 2000 where we at the his favorite bar, Trinity. Let us never forget him or anyone else who lost their lives that horrible day.
Scott A
September 12, 2020 | Nashville, TN | Friend
I never met Vincent, but I know that he brought joy into to lives of those around him. Thank you.
Ethan
September 11, 2020