Thomas Hetzel  ( 1968 - 2001)  Linden 392

Thomas Hetzel, a native of Elmont, Long Island was 33 years old and was a firefighter with the Ladder Company 13 in the upper east side of Manhattan.

He was a victim of the World Trade Center  Attack on Spetember 11, 2001. He persihed in the lobby of Tower 2. He was laid to rest  in Maple Grove on October 9, 2001.

 Hetzel went to H. Frank Carey High School in Franklin Square and studied liberal arts at Nassau Community College. A firefighter for more than five years in the city, he also was a member for 15 years of the Franklin Square Volunteer Fire Department.

 "He wanted to be a firefighter since he was 5," said his sister, Doreen Hetzel. She recalled that as a youngster he once painted his bicycle red to emulate a fire engine. Hetzel received a commendation from the city because of his efforts in helping motorists during a major flood on FDR Drive. He is survived by his wife, Diana, and a daughter, Amanda.