A funeral will be held Monday morning for fallen Boston firefighter Robert Kilduff Jr.
Today is the funeral for fallen Boston firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr., who died in the line of duty earlier this month while fighting a fire in Dorchester.
His funeral began at 10 a.m., with thousands of people in attendance inside and outside the church.
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His two children, Hanna Jane and Mason Kilduff, were among those who spoke during the service.
“Even as a child, I understood that my dad was one of the helpers,” Hannah Jane said. “Whether he was showing up to rescue the people of Boston, to coach the youth of West Roxbury or to support his own kids, he was the man you could look for in the crowd who would stop at nothing to help you feel better. My dad represents everything our world can be if we look out for each other, if we reach out to help first and ask questions later. Every day, he embodied what it means to be a good neighbor, a caring friend, an empathetic stranger. Nobody was out of the bounds of his compassion.”
“There’s a million things I could say about my dad, who he was,” Mason said. “I bet most of you guys know that already. He lived his life entirely driven by his love to give back, whether it was volunteering for an organization as large as the Gary Sinise Foundation, or as small as just seeing a look in somebody’s eye that made him go up and give them a hug a smile or whatever they needed. He was that guy.”
“My dad is my hero,” he added. “He’s the hero everyone says he is, and I’ll miss him forever. He taught us all how to live, and now he’s taught us how to die.”
Jess Spruell, Kilduff’s girlfriend, also spoke about how everyone loved him.
“I’ve spent some time wondering how you put a life like BK’s into words,” she said. “He genuinely cared about all others and naturally looked out for all around him.”
“Knowing BK, you know he probably wouldn’t want us standing here focusing on what he did, because for him, helping people wasn’t about being called a hero… It was about doing what was right. That was the man I loved.”
Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall called BK “a jake’s jake,” a high honor within the firefighting community.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Kilduff “embodies Boston,” and gave his life so that others could live.
“Because of Bobby Kilduff, five of our neighbors will get to spend more time with the people they love. That’s his legacy,” she said. “It lives on in everyone who got another day with their loved ones, because he answered the call.”
To the many firefighters and community members we’ve spoken to, Kilduff is considered a hero, because he was always there for them. Now, they have the chance to be there for him and his family.
“No matter where you work in the country or the world, if you’re on this job and you’ve taken this oath, I think we all feel like family,” said Kelly Burns, deputy district chief with the Chicago Fire Department. “So when one of the departments goes through something like that, it’s a responsibility to come and support each other.”
“So many people came to Boston today who knew him and had their lives impacted by him, and that’s just the kind of man he was,” said Sam Dillon of the Boston firefighters union.
Dillon was one of the thousands of people who came out to pay their respects to the fallen 24-year Boston Fire Department veteran at his wake on Sunday.
Kilduff died over a week ago attempting to save lives while fighting a fire in Dorchester.
Today’s funeral mass will be presided over by Archbishop Richard Henning. We will also hear from Kilduff’s two children and his girlfriend.
The procession from Gormley Funeral Home to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross began at 8:15 a.m., followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. After the mass, the procession was to continue on to Fairview Cemetery, stopping along the way at Rescue Company 2.
Boston police warned drivers to expect significant traffic delays in the South End, and said no parking or standing will be in effect on Washington Street from East Concord to Waltham streets, on Monsignor Reynolds Way from Washington Street to Harrison Avenue and on Union Park Street from Washington Street to Harrison Avenue. Motorists were urged to use alternate routes if possible and allow additional travel time.
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