Cancer claims 9/11 hero

A RETIRED FDNY firefighter who helped ferry supplies back and forth to World Trade Center site for months after 9/11 attacks, died Thursday from a cancer caused by Ground Zero toxins, family said. He was 64. George Froehlich battled prostate cancer for quite some time before his death, his wife told the Daily News Saturday.

“He was a gentle man who fought a tough battle and went through more than most people will ever go through in their lifetime,” his widow, Michele, 50, said.

“It’s very hard to pinpoint the exact words to describe him.”

Froehlich began his career in 1982 at Ladder Company 242 in Brooklyn.

He eventually joined Ladder Company 87 in Staten Island where he stayed until his retirement in 2002.

The FDNY veteran went on to own Duffy’s Tavern, a popular pub and restaurant in West Brighton. His closest friends described him as an “incredibly talented” handyman.

“George was the kind of guy you never even had to call. He would just show up with the right tools,” said Keith Johnson, 59. Froehlich leaves behind his wife, three children and one grandson.

He is the ninth FDNY member to pass away from a 9/11-related illness this year, according to union officials.