By Mary Buckley
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MILWAUKEE — For many years their lives followed similar paths, but when James Gefke runs the Boston Marathon on Monday, he will be alone, taking each step in memory of his friend, roommate and fellow firefighter John Harrington.
Harrington died in a bike/vehicle accident in May 2004.
Friendship, careers grew together Harrington and Gefke grew up together.
Harrington, two years older than Gefke, was one of three Nicolet High School stu-Gefke dents who made up the first group of North Shore Fire Department interns back in 1996-97.
“He encouraged me to do the (intern) program,” Gefke said.
In 1999, when Gefke was an intern, Harrington, a few weeks shy of his 20th birthday, was hired as a full-time firefighter.
Two years later, Gefke followed the same career path, hired by the department in January 2001.
The men were great friends, working out together, riding bikes, even working at the same station, Station 3 in Shorewood.
Until that fateful day in 2004.
“We lived together down in Bay View,” Gefke said. “I was at the station waiting for him to come in. I heard there had been an accident down on Kinnickinnic and thought he was late because it would be just like John to stop and help.” Gefke’s future wife, Kirstie, was the third roommate at the house. She got the news from Milwaukee police and made the sorrowful trip to Shorewood to tell James.
Together they went to bring the terrible news to Harrington’s parents. “It was the worst day of my life,” Gefke said.
Since Harrington’s death, Gefke, other friends and firefighters, and the Harrington family have done a memorial bike ride in May, following the route that Harrington took on his last day.
There is a $15 donation requested to join the ride, with the money going to the Wisconsin Burn Survivors Network, a group that supports all burn victims and their families.
Doing something more Gefke has always done the ride, but he has been thinking about doing more for a few years.
A seasoned runner, he decided in December to run the Boston Marathon wearing his firefighter gear as a way to raise awareness of and funds for the John Harrington Memorial Bike Ride.
The money will be donated in Harrington’s memory to the Wisconsin Burn Survivors Network.
If you have happened to see a man clad in a bunker coat and pants, North Shore Fire Department helmet on his head, running around the North Shore in recent months, that’s Gefke.
The gear is heavy. “The body can’t breathe too much,” Gefke said of being in his chosen running gear. “I am hoping my body can do it.” His one concession to the length and difficulty of the marathon is his foot gear. He is wearing five-finger shoes, not firefighter boots.
Still, running the 26 plus miles in Beantown won’t be easy, but Gefke wants to do it.
He and his wife have two sons, ages 3 and 4.
“That’s one of the things I think about when I run,” Gefke said. " (John) didn’t have the opportunity to experience this part of life. He would have made a terrific father and husband to someone.” Gefke plans an addition to his gear during the run, a sign across his back that will say “bikeforjohn.com.” It’s the Website for the ride/ fundraiser. He hopes people along the route will look up the site and perhaps be inspired by the man running in firefighter gear to make a donation in memory of his friend.
Copyright 2011 Journal Sentinel Inc.