NEW YORK — A New York City firefighter’s son followed in his father’s footsteps when he became a FDNY firefighter this year. And four months after graduating, the rookie had a rare opportunity to be a hero.
LoHud.com reported that Ryan Blackwell rescued a 54-year-old woman from a fatal apartment fire Saturday morning.
“My nerves really kicked in afterwards. It was like: ‘Holy Cow! I just did that!’” Blackwell, 25, said in a phone interview Sunday. “It’s exciting. Made a difference, you know.”
His father, Christopher, was a decorated member of Rescue 3 who was killed in the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Ryan became a volunteer firefighter first and waited for his opportunity to join the FDNY, according to the report.
“His dad would be very proud of him,” Jane Blackwell, Ryan’s mother, said Monday. “He’s definitely following in his dad’s footsteps, but he’s his own person and is making his own way.”