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One of Many Memorials

Juan Vazquez
/
WXXI

Since the events on Christmas Eve, many memorials to honor the lives of Lt. Mike Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka have been created.

One was on display, in the cold, during Kaczowka's funeral service on Monday.

Sam Paris was holding it outside St. Stanislaus Church, while hugging firefighters and policemen were saying goodbyes. The homemade memorial had the names of Kaczowka and Chiapperini. The tragedy struck close to home for Paris.

"I know a lot of firefighters, my sister-in-law's nephew is a fireman in the city," Paris said. "I know what he goes through, a lot, every day going to these fires and I worry about him, because he's got two little kids. He's got a boy and a girl, and I'm sure his wife worries about him a lot."

His memorial also highlights the risks firefighters take every time the siren sounds, in an effort to help their neighbors. 

"Volunteers, they give their life to help others," Paris said. "When you help your neighbor, a lot of good happens, and that's what they were doing."

Paris made two identical memorials, with the hopes of giving one to each of the families.