[Michele]

A brave Staten Island boy died trying to save pets from fire

by Staten Island Advance Tuesday December 18, 2007, 1:38 AM


Tommy Monahan loved his pets too much.
Heedless of his own safety as flames and smoke filled his house, the brave 9-year-old darted upstairs in an attempt to save his Yorkshire terrier and his lizard.
Family photoNine-year-old Tommy Monahan and his Yorkshire terrier, Sophie, perished in the blaze at 49 Princewood Ave.
That choice cost him his life.
Fire investigators say it was a faulty extension cord in the basement ceiling that sparked Sunday's deadly blaze in the 1920s-vintage Tudor in Prince's Bay.
Tommy's parents and younger sister were safely outside when the father realized his son was trapped.
"Tommy, come to the window! Come to the window!" Thomas Monahan yelled as he stood on an aluminum ladder outside his son's second-story bedroom at 49 Princewood Ave. on the frigid night.
Monahan had grabbed a plastic chair on his way up the ladder but it was too light to shatter the glass. And by the time a neighbor handed him a hammer, "the smoke and the heat that went out were too intense," the boy's grandfather, also Thomas, said last night.
Firefighters responded to the scene moments later to mount a daring rescue.
Twenty-year FDNY veteran James Ahrens got in through the window, and when he didn't find young Tommy right away, he walked along the narrow hallway, past the flames that had consumed the house's stairway, and found the boy on the floor in his sister's room, in a state of cardiac arrest, fire officials said.
Another firefighter, Anthony Belisario, fell through the stairs and was briefly trapped, but suffered only minor injuries.
Ahrens and another firefighter rushed Tommy to Staten Island University Hospital, Prince's Bay, where the youngster was briefly revived.
But that fleeting hope faded after the boy was taken to the regional Burn Center at University Hospital's Ocean Breeze site. He lost consciousness again and was pronounced dead at 1:45 a.m.
Monahan, his wife, Maria, and their 8-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, escaped the flames without injury.
Tommy's Yorkshire terrier, Sophie, did not survive.
City fire marshals are still trying to determine why the extension cord malfunctioned, and what it was attached to.
Thomas Monahan, who, ironically, works as an electrician, said he believed the cord had either been built into the basement when the house was constructed or added a decade later.
Standing outside his parents' house in Pleasant Plains last night, Monahan began to talk about his son's love of nature but was soon overcome with emotion as he spoke about the neighbors and city officials who have offered their help.
"So many people, doing so many good things, for people they don't even know," he gasped, before turning around and walking away.
A 62-year-old neighbor who helped steady the ladder under Monahan's feet recounted how the distraught father called for his son at the window.
"It really tore your heart out to see what was going on," said the neighbor, Bob, who wouldn't give his last name. "I feel for him as a father. I think if he had broken a window, he would have gone in there."
As fire marshals moved in and out of the burned shell of the house throughout the day yesterday, family members gathered at the boy's uncle's house next door.

A woman knelt in front of the house and buried her face in her hands.

By all accounts, Tommy was a vibrant 9-year-old who loved interacting with nature, collecting bugs and studying lizards.

Robert Schmidt, 8, used to ride the school bus with Tommy and even went with him once to get crickets for his lizard.

"He always asked me, 'If you see a snake, get me,'" the 8-year-old said.
Tommy and his family took regular fishing trips to Lemon Creek in Pleasant Plains.
"One day, they came back with a giant snapping turtle. It was a hundred-something pounds. I fed it a hot dog," said a neighbor, 13-year-old John DeCarlo.
The teen described his younger neighbor as rambunctious: "He was always running around. He was like the Energizer bunny."
Tommy learned his love of nature and the environment from his parents, said his grandmother, Patricia Monahan. "He had a heart of gold for animals. He respected them and knew everything there was to know about them."
His mother, Maria, was an active opponent of overdevelopment, rallying her neighbors to challenge a builder who sought to tear down a nearby house on Amboy Road and put up two homes in its place.
"I'm just trying to hang onto a little piece of paradise here and I would not let anyone take it away without a fight," Mrs. Monahan told the Advance in 2004.
And Tommy's grandfather, Thomas P. Monahan, is the former head of ferry operations for the city Department of Transportation.
At PS 36 in Annadale, where Tommy was a fourth-grader, a crisis team was on hand to break the sad news to his classmates, and counselors were available to speak with students during the day, school officials said. They are expected to be available all day today, as well.
Although the principal declined comment, another administrator described the atmosphere in the K-5 school yesterday as "very somber."
"He was a great little guy. Great athlete, loved nature," said Monsignor Edmund Whalen, the pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas Parish, where Tommy attended mass. He added that Tommy excelled on the parish's soccer team.
Liz Cruz, a neighbor whose daughter used to baby-sit Thomas, said she saw flames shooting out the front door before the house became engulfed.
"He was a good kid, just a sweet little boy," she said. "We're all crushed. It's senseless. It's Christmas. Why should anyone have to suffer like this?"

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf..._boy_died.html

[fearlessknight]

Man, how sad.....As it has always been know....
You don't know what you've until it's gone......

[Rivera]

=[ rest in peace. Sad..

[Rai_77]

So sad, so tragic. My thoughts are with the family. RIP Tommy and Sophie.

And take the time to develop a fire escape plan with your family. Memorize it, and practice it. As hard as it is, when there is a fire, everyone needs to get out. I tell my own son this time and time again. Don't wait, don't debate, just get out. Do not go back for me, do not go back for the animals, get yourself out first and then go to the neighbor's for help (calling 911 on a cell, even if you have one, takes longer).

[Lassic]

Read about this in the papper it was a sad storry R.I.P

[CoolHandJean]

Originally Posted by Rai_77 And take the time to develop a fire escape plan with your family. Memorize it, and practice it.

Yeah, when I was a kid, our family had a escape plan. I think that had a lot to do with the fact that my brother was/is a Vol. Fireman...

RIP Tommy, brave little guy.

[bulldogs]

This story was hard to read. RIP buddy.

[hightone87]

That's really tragic. R.I.P. Tommy

[kaght]

Wow thats sad my prayers are with the family

[Maddie's Mom]

Prayers are with his family.

[kamkeycas]

I am so deeply sorry for all that knew this poor little animal advocate...
He gives the ones who don't think they can do very much the inspiration to atleast do what you feel is right ...
He did not feel it was right to leave his animal friends in there to die..
God just told him to come help him with the ones with him now... I grieve for their loss... My thoughts my heart my prayers go to the family....

[RedThunder]

I will say a prayer for his family. Tommy and his pets (RIP) buddy

[wheezer]

How sad! My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family!

[kalmkidd]

wow. man.. thats sad.

[Jelet]

Yea pretty sad. It seemed like a good kid

[Zoe]

Poor little guy. I've totally had this talk with the kids. To get out and don't worry about anything else. Easy to say, meanwhile, I'd probably go back for the dogs, too.

[kris2642]

Aw man, that is so sad. I live in Vegas and the SPCA is finding abandoned dogs all over the city and in the desert because people get tired of them and dump them. The shelters are so crowded they can't take anymore dogs. And this poor kid was brave enough to run into a burning house to save his animals. It just isn't fair.

[Mollie's Nana]

he was one brave little boy, and he definitely loved his dog and lizard! So Sad! RIP Tommy, have fun with all the dogs that are already in Heaven waiting to play with you!

[apbtmom76]

OMG, what a horrific and wonderful story. RIP to this little boy who gave his life for his animals!!