911 HERO SPOTLIGHT: New York City Firefighter Richard John Kelly Jr. Remembered on 9/11 Patriot Day

Kelly was one of 2,977 that died on September 11, 2001, during the terrorist attacks

Richard John Kelly Jr. was a firefighter and senior member of Ladder 11, Manhattan. Kelly was one of the 2,977 people that died on September 11, 2001, during the terrorist attacks. He was at the World Trade Center helping others to safety before he perished. The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson select one name at random each year to honor that individual. This year, 2024, the name of Richard John Kelly Jr. was selected.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent people died and more than 6,000 people were injured. Every year my business/broadcasting partner Orville Susong and I select one of the 2,977 souls to recognize and honor on 9/11 – Patriot Day. This year we randomly selected Richard John Kelly Jr.

Kelly was a firefighter and senior member of Ladder 11, Manhattan. He was responding to an alarm at the World Trade Center where he ultimately perished. Kelly had just celebrated his 24^th year with the city Fire Department.

Kelly joined the Naval Reserve in 1970 and spent most of the next three years as an electronics technician traveling the Mediterranean aboard the USS Great Sitkin. After being discharged from the Navy in 1972, he went to work for the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1977, Kelly joined the New York City Fire Department. Two years later, he transferred to Ladder 11 where he spent the next 23 years.

Kelly’s passion was music. He collected hundreds of CDs, with all types of music. He also played a musical instrument called a boomba, which resembles a pogo stick with cymbals, cowbells and other instruments! Kelly played the boomba at the fire station and at various other events around town.

Kelly was an avid freshwater fisherman. He particularly enjoyed fishing with his son, Michael, and his nephews, at Pecks Pond in Pike County, Pennsylvania.

According to an article written by the Staten Island Advance on September 29, 2001, his wife said about her late husband, “Ricky enjoyed life more than anyone I ever knew. His goals were not grand, but rather pure and simple. All he asked for was to wake up each day and enjoy it to the max.”

Oxford dictionary defines a hero as, “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” On September 11, 2001, Kelly responded to a call, which ultimately cost him his life. However, before he died, he saved many people from certain death, with his courage, determination and belief in that he was doing the right thing.

It is our honor to recognize the memory of a true American hero, Richard John Kelly Jr.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 25 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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