Paying respects to firefighter lost in fall

evening at the funeral home, where his wife Marie and their daughter — wearing her dad’s FDNY badge — greeted the procession of police and fire vehicles.

An enormous American flag was hung above the street leading to the home. Six FDNY members carried the body inside through the silence of the cool April evening. When the family exited the funeral home 10 minutes later, the assembled firefighters stood and saluted.

A short time earlier, a banner bearing a portrait of Tolley was hung outside the Engine Co. 286/Ladder Co. 135 firehouse.

But mourners had already created an impromptu memorial of flowers piled high outside the firehouse.

“He’s a hero, he’s a hero,” said Mariana Buxeli after visiting the site. “It’s terrible.”

Black and purple bunting was later ceremoniously hung above the bay doors of the firehouse before a crowd of Tolley’s colleagues.

“He gave his life doing what he loved to do, serving the community, working with his brothers, the amazing men standing behind me today,” the fallen hero’s older brother Robert Tolley told the mourners.

Local resident Donna Nielsen, 55, said firefighters are an integral part of the neighborhood — taking community youth groups on tours of the firehouse.

“It’s unbelievable that he went to work and didn’t come home to his wife and daughter,” said Nielsen. “He was an important part of the community.”

Some 60 preschoolers from a pair of Ridgewood day care centers arrived at the firehouse in three different groups to pay their respects.

The youngsters formed a singlefile line, each marching up to place a white chrysanthemum into the growing piles of flowers.

The kids also presented the firehouse with large handmade thank you cards, with every one including a photo of Tolley along with the child’s handprint and name.

Michelle Kanhai, owner of the Happily Ever After and Once Upon a Time day care centers, remembered seeing Tolley during a school field trip.

“He’s spoken to the kids, the teachers — very involved,” said Kanhai. “So once we heard, it hit home. It's very, very sad. It's a tragedy.”

Frank DeCillis said he last saw Tolley about a month ago, when the Long Island man came to Florida for a visit. He reflected on his stepson’s love of firefighting even before joining the FDNY in 2003.

“He was a Hicksville volunteer (firefighter),” DeCillis recalled. “I have a picture of him standing at Ground Zero ... He got on the job about a year after.”