Family, organ recipients, honor Islip's William P. Moon II with plaque at his FDNY firehouse
Floral Park resident Terrence Jordan first heard the name William P. Moon II after the FDNY firefighter's widow, Kristina, directed her husband’s lungs to be donated to him.
The 47-year-old firefighter from Islip, known as “Billy,” lost his life in December 2022 after a fall during a training accident in Brooklyn.
On Sunday, Kristina Moon joined Jordan, a retired FDNY firefighter, and department Capt. Patrick Reynolds, a fellow Moon transplant recipient, at her late husband's Rescue Company 2 in Brooklyn. The occasion was a plaque dedication ceremony honoring her husband that she and other attendees hoped would ensure future generations of FDNY firefighters also know his name.
FDNY firefighter William P. Moon II died after a December 2022 training accident in Brooklyn. Credit: FDNY/FDNY
Jordan, 65, said of the man whose lungs he depends on for living: “Billy was not afraid to answer the call of duty. Even when his life ended, the decision he had made saved the life of five people, two of whom are brother firefighters. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we will be forever grateful to Billy for giving us a second chance at life.”
The plaque in Moon's name notes that he made the “supreme sacrifice” while on the job.
Moon was preparing for a training drill on Dec. 12, 2022 at Rescue Company 2 when he fell approximately 20 feet, sustaining a serious head injury. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but officials said it became clear Moon would not survive.
Reynolds, who received Moon’s liver, noted Sunday that the donated organs made it possible for all three firefighters to be present at the firehouse.
“His donated organs are working to keep quite a few people alive,” said Reynolds, 64, of East Northport, a 9/11 first responder who waited a year for a transplant after being diagnosed with a genetic end-stage liver disease.
“His heart is beating, his lungs are breathing, his liver’s performing its function. He is among us.”
Jordan, who suffered from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, both from his work at Ground Zero, said he felt “especially connected” to Moon after learning about his devotion to family, community and fire service, which included volunteering with the Islip Fire Department. Kristina Moon noted that her husband was the type of dad who wasn’t afraid to let his daughter put bows in his hair, and took the time from his busy schedule to coach his son’s youth baseball teams.
“Billy more than once mentioned how he had no regrets,” she said of her husband.
He had the “job of his dreams,” she added, and enjoyed the people in his life and the town where they were both raised and chose to grow their family. “ … I couldn’t be more proud to call him my husband and best friend.”
Rescue 2 Capt. Liam Flaherty, who served as master of ceremonies for the plaque dedication, joked that Moon met all the requirements for Catholic sainthood.
He encouraged Moon’s daughter, Brianne, 11, and son, Colin, 9, to visit the firehouse and view the plaque with future generations of their family to share the story of their father, who he called a “role model.”
“I'm going to look at it and it's going to remind me to be a better person,” the captain said.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
