Jun 26, 2007 7:28 pm US/Eastern
Thousands Attend Funeral For Brooklyn Firefighter
Daniel Pudjak Was Killed While Fighting Williamsburg Blaze
by Magee Hickey
BROOKLYN (CBS) ―
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Daniel Pujdak of Ladder Company 146 apparently lost his footing and fell from the top of a Brooklyn building.
CBS
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Firefighter Daniel Pujdak, 23, seen here before he fell four stories to his death while battling a blaze in Brooklyn on June 21.
New York Post
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It didn't take long for many of the 60 firefighters on scene to hear the news of Pujdak's death.
CBS
Thousands gathered at Saint Cecilia's Catholic Church in Brooklyn Tuesday for the funeral of a young firefighter, Daniel Pujdak, who was killed in the line of duty last week.
Pujdak was widely considered a rising star in the FDNY.
He grew up in the Greenpoint parish where his funeral was held. He and his father would shovel away the snow in front of Saint Cecilia's where Danny attended school. His mother, Christina, is still a Eucharistic minister there.
Msgr. Patrick Fursey O'Toole, of St. Cecilia's Church spoke about Danny, "My heart is broken. Our parish is in mourning. The whole city is in mourning."
Last Thursday, the 23-year-old firefighter lost his footing and his life in a Williamsburg blaze a few blocks away from St. Cecilia's. Careless smoking sparked the fire.
Ryan Quinter, Pujdak's college roommate for three years at SUNY Courtland said the fun-loving, smiling Danny never wavered from his dream of becoming a firefighter.
"That's all he was excited about, graduating, going to the academy," said Quinter. "He wanted to save people's lives, be in the building, be on the hose, fighting fires."
"I know that he wouldn't expect this, but he's happy that we all came together as a community, as a family, bunch of friends. He would be happy to see we're all going strong."
And the captain of the fire company where Danny served for two years, Ladder 146, said he would welcome Danny's younger brother Matthew who is hoping to be appointed to the academy in September.
"That's going to be one of the bravest things I'm ever going to see," said FDNY Capt. Jerry Horton. "It's very close after the fact. We've had sons and brothers come on, but never so soon after a tragedy."
There is no official word yet if Danny's younger brother, Matthew Pujdak, would be accepted to the academy in September. A decision is expected any day.
The same flood of people at St. Cecelia's could be seen wrapping around the block at the Evergreen Funeral Home on Monday for his wake. Those who knew the 23-year-old firefighter very well and those who just wanted to pay their respects to Daniel Pujdak.
"He's going to be greatly missed," said Jonathan Lavore. "This showing alone is proof of that."
His St. Francis Prep math teacher remembered a determined young man who was living his dream.
"That's the way he wanted to be. Always wanted to be a firefighter," teacher Robert Kent said.
One of his friends added, "He died doing what he wanted to do and what he loved."
Prayer cards and photos honoring Pujdak can be found in bodegas and churches throughout the neighborhood.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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