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FF Kevin Deane, Yonkers FD

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RIP - thank you for your service and dedication.

Edited by 66Alpha1

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A true gentleman and a great firefighter.

He left us way too early.

You will be missed......

May You Rest In Peace, Kevin.

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As sad as this was to me, reading this story makes it even more upsetting. Thoughts and prayers with the Deane and Yonkers FD families during this tough time.

Surgical hardware may have caused Yonkers firefighter's death

By MELISSA KLEIN AND WILL DAVID

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: April 11, 2007)

The death of a 39-year-old Yonkers firefighter seriously injured in a skiing accident last week is being blamed on metal hardware surgically implanted in his neck, his family said yesterday.

Kevin Deane's relatives said they had been told by the New York City Medical Examiner's Office yesterday that a metal plate or screw inserted last week had been rubbing on his esophagus and eventually punctured it.

"He started bleeding right down to his lungs," said Colin Deane, Deane's brother, recounting what the Medical Examiner's Office told him.

The Medical Examiner's Office was not able to confirm the autopsy report late yesterday. The hospitals in Denver and New York City where Deane was treated would not comment on the case.

Deane died early Monday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, hours after family members said goodbye to him for the night. They said he seemed to be doing well, watching the Yankees and Islanders play on television.

His sister, Erin Howard, said she left the hospital about 5 p.m., telling her older brother, "I love you."

About 3 a.m., she got a call at her Long Island home from one of the hospital's residents, telling her in broken English: "Kevin die."

The family gathered at Deane's boyhood home in New Rochelle yesterday, reminiscing and trying to sort through what had happened in the past week. Meanwhile, black and purple bunting draped every firehouse in Yonkers, and flags were lowered in honor of Deane.

"He was a gentleman's gentleman and an excellent firefighter," said Yonkers Fire Commissioner Anthony Pagano. "He was always polite and very respectful."

Deane, who left a Wall Street job to join the Fire Department nine years ago, was taking a well-earned break on the skiing vacation. He had spent months studying for and then taking the exam to become a lieutenant.

Deane joined Howard, her husband, Pete, and their infant daughter on the trip to the ski resort of Beaver Creek, Colo. Also along was Deane's mother, Valerie.

Deane had joined the family on a trip to the resort a year ago and told his sister, "It's the best place on Earth."

The group arrived in Colorado March 31. The next morning, Deane went shopping for the ingredients for a linguine dish with shrimp he planned to cook that night.

Deane and his brother-in-law hit the slopes in the afternoon.

Pete Howard said yesterday that they were on the first ski run of their vacation and he was behind Deane when he saw him fall.

"I think I'm paralyzed from the neck down," Deane told Howard when he reached him.

Howard surmised that Deane's boot may have popped out of his ski, causing him to fall and land on his head. He was not wearing a helmet.

Howard called the ski patrol to take Deane off the mountain. Deane was first taken to a hospital in Vail and then to Denver Health, a 500-bed hospital and trauma center in Denver.

Family members said he had eight hours of surgery on his neck April 2. Erin Howard said she was told a disc was pushing into his spine.

After the surgery, Deane complained to his family that his throat was extremely sore from having a tube in it, but he was starting to move his arms and legs. Doctors in Denver said Deane was strong enough to return to New York.

Colin Deane, 36, also a Yonkers firefighter, said he hired an air ambulance to bring Kevin home, putting the $17,000 expense on his credit card. He was taken to Mount Sinai on Friday where, Colin Deane said, a doctor was very encouraging about his brother's recovery.

Family members who visited throughout the weekend said the hospital seemed understaffed and it would take a long time for a nurse or an aide to respond if Deane needed one. Deane's youngest brother, Sean, stayed with him Saturday night.

Erin Howard, 35, said the resident who called her told her that Kevin had called for help early morning Monday. She was told her brother was coughing up blood.

"It kept coming up and up," she said she was told.

Mount Sinai released a statement saying, "Mount Sinai physicians are committed to providing all patients with the best care available."

A spokeswoman at Denver Health said that because of federal privacy laws, she could confirm only that Deane had been a patient at the hospital.

Deane's firefighter family and his relatives remembered him yesterday as an honest, hardworking, take-charge kind of man.

Firefighters at Engine 8 on Warburton Avenue, where Deane was stationed, ate "Kevin Deane Burgers" for lunch in honor of their colleague, who often boasted that he made the best cheeseburgers in the firehouse.

Lt. Eric Dronzek, a supervisor at Engine 8, said he watched Deane start out as a new firefighter and become a "seasoned veteran" whom members of the firehouse looked up to. He said Deane and other firefighters who came to Engine 8 made it a close-knit group.

"They transformed this house to a solid place that people wanted to be at," Dronzek said. "There is a huge void here at the family of 8 Engine."

Deane grew up in New Rochelle in a family of six children. He graduated from Iona Prep and Iona College.

He did back-office functions at a Wall Street firm, but did not enjoy the job, his family said.

Deane was hit hard by the death of his father, Kevin, 13 years ago and decided to change his life. He joined the Fire Department and lived in Yonkers with Colin in a house he planned to fix up.

Colin Deane said his brother lived to do things for others.

His family continued that and decided to donate Deane's organs.

A wake for Deane will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Lloyd Maxcy & Sons funeral home in New Rochelle. The funeral will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Holy Family Church in New Rochelle.

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Very sad news, Reminder of just how precious life is.

Enjoy everyday of it.

REST IN PEACE BROTHER!

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Rest In Peace Kevin.

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Rest in Peace Kev. Thoughts and prayers to Colin and the Deane family.

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RIP...Thoughts and Prayers to the Deane Family from all of the members of "The Hall".

Arrangement Info should be available shortly...I will post as soon as I get to work.

Actually, thanks to my favorite Chief...see page 2 of this forum for the Information!

Edited by Oswegowind

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thoughts and prayers are with the family and the members of yonkers FD. rest in peace.

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Rest in peace brother.

My prayers to the family, and to the department.

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My thoughts and prayers are with the Deane family and the Yonkers FD. Rest in peace Kevin.

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RIP brother

my condolances go out to the family

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Went to Iona with Kevin. Very sad to read that story today. God Bless Kevin and his family.

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WAKE INFORMATION

Thursday, April 12th 7:00pm-9:00pm

Friday, April 13th 2:00pm-4:00pm, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Lloyd Maxcy and Sons Funeral Home

16 Shea Place

New Rochelle, NY Phone:914-632-2700

Father McDonald and The Yonkers Fire Department Holy Name Society will conduct a prayer service at the funeral home on Friday, April 13th at 8:00pm.

FUNERAL INFORMATION

Saturday, April 14th

9:30am-10:30am

Holy Family Roman Catholic Church

Corner of Mayflower Avenue and Clove Road

New Rochelle, NY

Internment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetary

Edited by batt2

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haven has called another firefighter ---way too soon. rest in peace

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RIP Kevin.

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Today there was a nice showing at the Church for Kevin's funeral. Thanks also to the brothers from Westchester departments who came including FDMV, NRFD, WPFD and Larchmont FD (I hope I didn't miss any). NR had all their apparatus along Eastchester Rd. It was a beautiful sight...

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