An Upstate New York firefighter who lost his life battling a massive blaze earlier this year was honored Thursday night at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards.
John “J.R.” Gaudet, a Binghamton firefighter, posthumously received the Tunnel to Towers Stephen Siller Award for bravery, kindness and generosity, according to Fox News.
Gaudet died in the line of duty Feb. 12 while fighting a large fire that tore through vacant buildings at 1 and 3 Main St. in Binghamton. The structures collapsed, burying him under the rubble.
“He was the kind of firefighter you could always count on, the one who would have your back no matter the situation,” fire officials said in a statement. “At fires, he was a bull — always first in line to get inside. He would literally run through a wall for you. There was no one better to have by your side.”
Gaudet, a SUNY Cortland graduate and former lacrosse player at Binghamton University, was also a youth sports coach throughout the region.
His widow, Felly, accepted the award on his behalf. Their three young children attended the ceremony as well.
“He loves coaching kids, and he loves nurturing those loves or people or kids,” Felly said in a recorded interview shown during the ceremony. “He’s always questioned if he’s done enough for the community, if he’s been a good enough firefighter. He’s always told me that if the time comes, he wouldn’t even regret — or be afraid — to die because he’s a firefighter, because of the job.”
In her live remarks, Felly said her greatest fear in grief has been people forgetting her husband.
“But tonight you all reminded me that he’s not forgotten, that you also remember him, not just as a hero to his community, but who he was to us, his family.”
Colleagues described Gaudet as “a Binghamton patriot through and through.”
Patrick K. Shea, 36, is accused of intentionally starting the fire that killed Gaudet. According to PressConnects, Shea had no permanent address and was indicted by a Broome County grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and fourth-degree arson.
The seventh annual Patriot Awards were held at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Special appearances included former first lady Melania Trump, Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk and country singer Jason Aldean.
