Growing up in Massapequa Park Brian Healey looked to his brother Michael as a role model in all aspects of life. From coaching Brian in lacrosse as a teenager to becoming a firefighter as an adult, Michael seemed to effortlessly epitomize the meaning of the word mentor. To Brian, Michael Healey was a brother he could be proud of, and a husband, father and firefighter he could look up to. Michael excelled in all of these roles, said his brother Brian, a firefighter with Ladder Co. 113 of Brooklyn, and in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy at the World Trade Center, Brian Healey and his family are left with only photographs and memories of Michael.

Michael Healey risked his life early Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, when he rushed into the second or south tower of the World Trade Center to do what he had always wanted to do, be a fireman and save lives. He never came out. He was 42 years old.

Michael Healey's family will be holding a memorial for the former Berner High School graduate, class of '77, Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker RC Church located at 510 Narragansett Ave. in East Patchogue, in the community in which he and his wife Theresa lived and where they were raising their three children.

The oldest of five children of Elaine and James Healey, Michael grew up in Massapequa Park and was always the "big brother" of the family. When he got his first job - a paper route - he saved his weekly pay to take his brothers and sisters to McDonalds. That was followed by other acts of generosity that made up the fabric of his life, said his sister.

"I remember how he saved up money once and bought us Sesame Street puppets," said his sister Geralyn of Massapequa. "He was always the kindest, gentlest and most generous person."

Michael Healey coached lacrosse for his son Matthew in East Patchogue. He also coached lacrosse in Massapequa when his brother Brian's team needed a coach. One of his players on the Massapequa Mohawks was Ed Walsh who went on to become a New York City firefighter also and who worked in the same squad as Michael Healey, who had risen to the rank of lieutenant in the department.

Lt. Michael Healey loved the water. He owned a jet ski and had recently taken his family to Florida in August on vacation. It was a vacation that his sister said he enjoyed so much that be booked a surprise cruise for the family for later this year. Weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center that took Healey's life, his wife received the confirmation for that trip in the mail.

"She didn't even know about it," said his sister. "But that's how he was - always thinking about his family. He couldn't do enough for them."

Michael Healey's father died suddenly of a heart attack when he was 47 and Michael's brother Brian said that had an impact on Michael's life.

"He was never really into sports or other activities as a young kid, but when he got older, he started to work out and really take care of himself," said Brian. "I think he was afraid that if he didn't, he would end up dying like our father and he wanted to be around to watch his kids grow up."

In addition to swimming, he jogged and exercised regularly and enjoyed surfing with his boys at Daytona Beach while on vacation this summer. On the morning of Sept. 11, he spoke briefly to his wife before the call went out that sent him from his firehouse in the South Bronx to the World Trade Center.

Michael Healey joined the fire department May 7, 1983 and worked first in Engine Co. 318 in Coney Island and then Engine 232 and Ladder Co. 176 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He then transferred to Rescue 3 in the South Bronx, where he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and went to Squad 41, South Bronx.

Michael Healey is survived by his wife Theresa, nee Brillaud, who was also raised in Massapequa Park. The couple would have celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary Oct. 9. His children, Michael, 17; Katie, 15; and Matthew, 12 also survive him as does his mother Elaine Healey Plgott, formerly of Massapequa and Massapequa Park and now of Copiague; his sisters Geralyn Chicoine and her husband Paul of Massapequa and Eileen Lang and her husband Russell of Gouldsboro, PA; his brother Brian and his wife Jessica of Farmingdale and his brother Patrick of Farmingdale. His sisters- and brothers-in-law Susan and Stephen Brilluad, MaryAnn and Nicholas DiMarco, Jeanne and Thomas Thelsen, Patricia and Robert Junge, Karen and Richard Brillaud and Margaret and John James also survive him as do 27 nieces and nephews.

Memorial arrangements are under the direction of Robertaccio Funeral Home in Patchogue.

Editor's Note: This article has been printed in the Observer courtesy of the Massapequa Post.