Heroic firehouse chaplain who died of 9/11-related cancer honored by FDNY at event for bravest lost this year
He put out emotional fires.
A heroic firehouse chaplain who died of 9/11-related pancreatic cancer was honored at a heartfelt FDNY ceremony Wednesday — with co-workers praising his 🧔sꦯelfless ability to comfort bravest families on the worst days of their lives.
Rev. Monsignor John Delendick, of Ladder 170 — who buried hundreds of fallen firefighters over nearly three decades — was one of 14 FDNY members who died last year, officials said at the department’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony Wednesday.
“He was just a dynamic individual,” longtime friend and re𝓡tired firefighter Dan Prince, 77, told The Post. “There were so many families that he took care of.ꦕ ”
“Children of the families [would] come up and introduce themselves and say, ‘Monsignor, you don’t remember me, but I was so-and-so’s son and you helped me and my family in our time of need,’” Prince said. “That was him.”
Delendick, who joined the FDNY as a chapl🍌ain in May 1996, also officiated weddings and baptisms — and gave spiritual support at all hours, according to friends and co-workers.
“He couldn’t do enough for the people. He never was off duty,” Prince said.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Delendick rushed to the World Trade Center offer firefighters spiritual support as they suffered through injury, chaos and the deaths ꦚof co-workers aft🔜er the terrorist attack.
In the years that followed, he officiated countless funerals of firefighters who died of 9/11-related illnesses after inhaling toxic chemicals at ground zero.
He was later himself diagnosed with pancreatic cancer linked to the rescue effort, FDNY official🐲s said.
“I don’t think it changed him, other than it slowed him down. He didn’t give up,” Prince said.
On Wednesday, thousands of FDNY workers gathered 🔯at Riverside Park in Manhattan to honor Delendick and 13 other members of the bravest who died in the past year.
Of the FDNY workers who lost their lives last year, two died in the line o🎉f duty, both from cardiac arrest, officials said.
“The FDNY knows all about loss. Our members take this job knowing that loss is a possibility given the dangerous work they do. Today, we’re saddened by the weight of these losses,” Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker told the audience.
“We do th🔯is so we🔴 can remember the very special place our fallen have in our hearts.”
Mayor Eric Adams thanked the families of fallen firefigh🌱ters for their sacrifice in 🅘a brief speech.
“I thank the famil🐼y members for giving their loved ones to the people of this city. God bless FꦑDNY. God bless America,” Adams said.
In total, more than 370 FDNY workers have died of 9/11-related i♍llnesses in more than two ൲decades.
