Firefighters recall Sept. 11 events, form friendships over loss

Provided photo Now-retired Sycamore firefighter Jim Lyons stands with Rose Foti in Colorado Springs, Colo., in September 2002 at an annual memorial put on by the International Association of Fire Fighters.

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SYCAMORE - Jim Lyons didn't go to the World Trade Center in September 2001. But the now-retired Sycamore firefighter wanted to honor his fallen comrades, so a year later, he went to Colorado Spring, Colo., to an annual memorial put on by the International Association of Fire Fighters. &#8220I thought everybody is rushing to New York and when they have this service nobody is going to go to it,” he said. Every September, the firefighters have a memorial, but it was canceled in 2001. He attended in 2002 as a member of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois Honor Guard. Its purpose is to support the family and show support for a firefighter who died in the line of duty. During the ceremony, typically 100 names are added to the memorial. In 2002, more than 500 names were added. Lyons said about 15,000 people went to the ceremony, including Rose Foti, whose son, Robert Foti, was a New York City firefighter who died during rescue operations at the World Trade Center. Foti had already met four Sycamore firefighters who went to attend funerals in New York after the attacks. When Lyons met her at the memorial he presented her with flowers, and a friendship blossomed between Lyons' family and Foti' s family. Lyons said Foti is well known to firefighters in New York, and after taking over the kitchen and making a spaghetti-and-meatball dinner at a hotel where firefighters were staying in Colorado Springs, she's known to many more. But she's also remained close to the Sycamore firefighters. In February, she visited the Lyonses, but not without making a stop at the Sycamore fire station. &#8220She thought enough of the guys from Sycamore to make them dinner,” Lyons said. Lyons said that he and Sycamore firefighters want to help Foti in keeping people from forgetting the tragedy. &#8220Hopefully everyone in the country doesn't forget,” Lyons said. &#8220It's not just the firefighters. There were other heroes.” Right now Foti is working with a group called WTC Families for Proper Burial (www.wtcfamiliesforproperburial.com), a group who wants the victims' remains removed from the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. Lyons sold black rubber bracelets with the message &#82209/11 Never Forget WTC” on them to raise funds and to help support his friend. &#8220I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for her,” Lyons said. He and Sycamore firefighter Bill Reynolds will attend the Colorado Springs memorial on Sept. 16 where they will meet up with Foti. Aracely Hernandez can be reached at ahernandez@daily-chronicle.com.