BOSTON — A growing memorial outside a Boston firehouse reflects the grief and support surrounding the loss of Boston firefighter Bobby Kilduff Jr., known to fellow firefighters as “BK,” after he died in the line of duty Saturday night.
Kilduff was killed after falling from a third-story window while battling a fire in Dorchester. In the days since his death, fellow firefighters, law enforcement officers, community members, and nonprofit organizations have come together to honor his legacy and support the family he leaves behind.
At Boston Fire Department Rescue 2, firefighters recently added a new badge to one of their fire trucks in Kilduff’s honor. The badge was originally designed by Kilduff himself, but colleagues have now updated it to include his name and “last alarm” — a tribute firefighters use to honor those who have died in service.
“You can consider BK born on Rescue 2,” said Lt. Gilbert Quinchia of the Boston Fire Department. “He lived it, he worked it and it was more his than anybody else’s.”
Quinchia said the tribute will serve as a permanent reminder of Kilduff’s impact on the department.
“It’ll forever be there to remind us of what we’re missing and what he was,” he said.
Inside the firehouse, Kilduff’s photograph has now been added to the walls alongside other firefighters remembered for their service and sacrifice.
As firefighters continue to process the loss, officers from the Bridgewater State University Police Department visited the firehouse Tuesday with comfort dogs.
“Our dogs here, they’re specially trained to help people who are in crisis,” said Detective Captain Robert McEvoy of the Bridgewater State University Police Department.
McEvoy said the dogs provide emotional support during difficult moments.
“You can see an immediate sense of somewhat relief, a little bit of comfort,” he said. “They can focus on the dog that has absolute love, no judgement, and just for a slight moment it allows them to deal with that grief.”
While the community supports Kilduff’s fellow firefighters, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is stepping in to help his family financially.
Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller announced that the organization will pay off the family’s mortgage and cover college tuition costs for Kilduff’s children.
“He’s a superhero — a Marine and then a firefighter,” Siller said. “Thank God for people like that in America willing to risk their lives constantly for you.”
Siller acknowledged that financial assistance cannot erase the family’s grief, but said the goal is to ease some of the burden during an unimaginable time.
“It doesn’t bring him back, obviously. It doesn’t take all the pain away,” Siller said. “But it gives them a little peace of mind knowing those two things are going to be taken care of. We want them to know they’re not alone.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation works to pay off mortgages for families of first responders killed in the line of duty across the country.
Kilduff’s wake is scheduled for Sunday at 3-7PM at Saint Theresa’s in West Roxbury.
His funeral will take place Monday morning at 10AM at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.
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