This was the 14th dinner held by the magazine, to honor "those New York City firefighters whose heroic and unselfish actions have distinguished themselves, their fellow firefighters and the entire Fire Department of the City of New York." What makes the dinner special is that the firefighters honored were not chosen by any jury or governing body, but by their fellow firefighters. "There is no greater honor than to be recognized by your peers," states the introduction to last year's dinner program, "especially when it comes from a Brother New York City Firefighter." From Cocktail Hour to the closing Raffle Drawing and everything in between, it was obvious that this was really true.

New York's Bravest began arriving at roughly 7:00 p.m. for the aforementioned Cocktail Hour, and from that point on, it was a party made up of one big happy family, as only the FDNY can do. At roughly 8:15 p.m., the official proceedings got started by the FDNY Pipes and Drums bagpipers, who made an impressive entrance into the dining hall in marching formation. No doubt just about anyone reading this will already have seen them perform at one time or another, but if that's true, you'll agree that no matter how many times you've seen them, it's always a stirring sight.

Once inside the dining hall, the pipers then regaled the crowd with a few selections from their large repertoire, including a performance in tribute to the evening's award winners, who were asked to stand in the middle of the circle of bagpipers during the last number, while the band paid them homage.
At the conclusion of their performance, the National Anthem was sung by Donna Scocca, the attractive and talented daughter of our venerable publisher, George Scocca. He followed with a series of opening remarks, before introducing a surprise guest: Jeanette Meyran, widow of FDNY Lt. Curtis Meyran. She spoke briefly to the hushed and somber crowd about what it had meant to her husband to be a firefighter…and the honor firefighters feel in making personal sacrifices to help their fellow man-both friend and stranger alike-when he is in need.

Eventually, it was time for the Main Event: the 2004 Bravest Awards ceremony. On this night, eight different firefighters would be honored, for acts of bravery and true heroism that had even seasoned veterans standing and cheering.

With dramatic showmanship, the room lights suddenly went down. From what appeared to be a simple wall, a tiered runway of brightly lit steps extended out into the room, to everyone's general amazement. Then, at the top of the stairs, accompanied by a musical flourish, the silhouettes of two firefighters appeared. The screen was raised and the first honorees-Ladder Company 10 Firefighters John Morbito and Daniel Cavanaugh-strode down the steps to a roar of applause.

On May 18th, 2005, both firefighters responded together to a working fire in the bedroom of a thirtieth-floor apartment. As the firefighters searched the apartment, they came across the body of 50-year-old Charles Maljar, who was unconscious and not breathing. Together, Morabito and Cavanaugh moved Maljar the length of a hallway and over and around obstacles to safety, all while performing CPR on him in an effort to keep him alive. By staying with the victim, and not giving up on their efforts to resuscitate him until he was turned over to EMS, both firefighters went above and beyond the call of duty.

Next up to be saluted were Engine 65 Firefighter Christopher Viola and Firefighter Christopher LaRocca, who were saluted for saving a life while they weren't even on the job. As they made their way to Customs at Toronto airport in Canada while on vacation attending a hockey tournament, Viola and LaRocca came upon an elderly gentleman who had collapsed at the top of an escalator while experiencing a heart attack. "I would like to commend and recognize two young, brave, experienced gentlemen of the FDNY," wrote a female witness in her letter to the FDNY. "Together they worked vigorously and quickly to save this man's life, long before medical attention arrived."

Working the floor above the fire, all three firefighters placed themselves in harm's way not once, but several times over, as they worked under severe heat and smoke conditions to remove several unconscious victims, some of whom were badly burned. Even for those in the audience who were not firefighters, the tale of these rescues was both riveting and awe-inspiring; for those of us who were, it was a tale that generated respect from even the most seasoned FDNY veterans.

But if that weren't already touching enough, the presentation was made even more significant by the presence of some special guests in the audience. Among those saved that day were three little girls (aged 4,5 and 7) who, although they were rescued, were burned. Sadly, their parents did not survive the fire. In an act of kindness that continues to pull heartstrings to this day, Firefighters Rosa, Cullen and Tarantini-along with Captain Mundy and the rest of the firefighters at FDNY Engine 289/Ladder 138-took the three orphaned girls under their wing, and have worked diligently to take care of them and provide for them as much as possible since their release from the hospital.

As the three firefighters walked down the center aisle to take the stage, they were joined by the three little girls-one with burn scars to her face, the others still wearing bandages-and there probably wasn't a dry eye in the house. The standing ovation was long and loud, and more than appropriate for three firefighters who even today continue to teach us an important lesson-that in spite of the fact that we live in a world filled with selfishness and hate, there still exist modern-day heroes who exemplify everything that is good about mankind.

There's no doubt that the 2005 Bravest Awards Dinner was a rousing success-offering amazing food, great fun, and a chance to honor the FDNY's best and brightest heroes. The 2006 event should be no less memorable or enjoyable. Trust us, it's an evening you don't want to miss.

We look forward to seeing you at the 2006 Bravest Awards Dinner!