Down a suburban street in Franklin Square with the trees sporting their full array of fall colors and the tranquility of a mild afternoon conducive to reflection and peace, tears swelled in the eyes of some and rolled down the cheeks of others.

For on this day, citizens remembered a hero, one of their own who has been missed by many every day since September 11, 2001. On that day, life as many knew it was changed forever. But, now over a year later, thoughts have shifted from images of burning buildings to those like New York City Firefighter Michael Kiefer whose special actions in the call of duty have made America proud.

As Town of Hempstead Councilman Joe Kearney said, prior to Sept. 11, people were skeptical about the presence modern heroes in today's society. Residents of Franklin Square need not look farther than their own community and down a small street to find a hero.

For the Kiefer family and the family members of the other victims, it's important not to forget the members of the rescue effort and what they did. "It's so important to us that people don't forget Michael," said sister Lauren Kiefer as she stood on the block where he grew up with her brother. "It's about remembering and honoring Michael and all of the other firemen, to thank them for what they did."

On Saturday, Nov. 9, the Town of Hempstead, under the direction of Supervisor Richard Guardino, renamed Pine Street in honor of a man whose heart was anything but small. Pine Street will forever be named 'New York City Firefighter Michael Kiefer Street' in honor of firefighter Kiefer, 25, a member of Ladder Company 132, who lost his life on Sept. 11, along with six other members of the company, in the rescue effort at the World Trade Center.

"Michael Kiefer was among those who made the supreme sacrifice," Guardino pointed out during the ceremony at the intersection of Pine Street and Goldenrod Avenue in front of Kiefer's father Bud, mother Pat, sisters Lauren and Kerri and fiancee Jamie as well as many friends including those from the Franklin Square, New York City, Malverne, Hempstead and Freeport Fire Departments.

It was on Pine Street that Kiefer grew up wanting to be a firefighter at an early age. For his second birthday, his birthday cake featured a fire truck. From there, his passion and desire to be a firefighter never wavered. "As a boy, Kiefer would ride his bicycle up and down Pine Street, pretending to go on fire calls, recalls Lauren Kiefer. "He would take me as his probationary fireman. Every driveway was the scene of another fire," she said.

Kiefer began by joining the Franklin Square junior firefighters organization. After becoming that organization's chief, he later joined the Malverne organization. After that, he joined the Freeport Fire Department followed by the Hempstead Fire Department. Eventually, he became a member of the New York Fire Department as a paramedic as he pursued his goal of being a New York City firefighter, something that would happen just nine months before Sept. 11, 2001.

On that morning, he answered a call for a scene more horrifying than any he could have ever imagined. It would be the last call he would ever answer, but the Kiefer family can take comfort that Michael died trying to save lives. "He knew when he was a young kid [what he wanted to do]. For him to fulfill them and lose his life saving people, I think that meant the world," said Lauren Kiefer.

While Kiefer possessed exceptional athletic abilities, having participated in the town's annual triathlon and worked in Averill Park in Elmont as a lifeguard, and enjoyed success in his career, it is the qualities he possessed as a brother, son, friend and fiancee for which he will be remembered most.

"He cared about everybody," said Lauren Kiefer. "He was a very giving person. He always wanted to help. Every job that he picked in his life was about helping other people because that's all he ever wanted to do."

Captain John Graziano of Ladder Company 132 of the New York City Fire Department used the word "honorable" to describe Kiefer. "If you needed him, he was always there beside you and he was always at the top of his game," he said. "What better way to honor this man of honor than to name this street after him."

"He just had this compassion for people," said father Bud.

While many boys idolize their fathers, for Bud Kiefer, his son was his hero. "He was my hero when he was born. He was my best friend," he said.

For Bud Kiefer, as time has passed, it hasn't gotten easier to live without his son. "It's gotten harder and harder every day," he said.

But those passing Pine Street in Franklin Square can always be reminded of Michael's Kiefer's bravery in the face of danger. In a way, the street sign symbolizes his spirit. Just as it stands as a lasting reminder of the place where he grew up, his memory will also never be forgotten.