By Bill Carey
FireRescue1
RIDGEFIELD, Conn. — Firefighters in Connecticut are mourning the loss of a firefighter who had a passion for the job and the communities he served.
Ridgefield firefighter Dionigi “Gino” Furano Jr. died on July 7 after battling a brain tumor, News 12 Connecticut reported.
“He made sure every single person that called 911, whatever their emergency big or small, he was going to make sure they were taken care of and their family was taken care of,” said Ridgefield Fire Captain Rom Duckworth.
In a Facebook post, the Ridgefield Professional Firefighters stated that Gino suddenly experienced neurological deficits while on duty on Dec. 28, 2021. Members on duty rendered aid and transported him to the Danbury Hospital where a CT scan and MRI revealed what would later be diagnosed as a cancerous brain tumor.
“He went through his surgeries, and he went through his chemotherapy. There were times when things definitely looked up. And when things started to take a turn for the worse, he still had a positive attitude and expressed his love for us every day,” Duckworth said.
Gino was also a member of the Glennville Volunteer Fire Company. He joined the department in 2008 and held the ranks of Captain and Assistant Chief before being hired by the Ridgefield Fire Department.
The family is requesting donations to the Ridgefield Professional Firefighters Memorial Scholarship fund.