Prayer Circles

That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a resuced soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.
(Robert Louis Stevenson)

May the angels wrap their wings around and hold you safe in their arms.

May God keep you safe, and comfort your family during this difficult time My heart thoughts and prayers are with you.

May God be with you in your time of need. My prayers go out to all those who have taken and will take tremendous burden upon their shoulders to serve and protect us.
God bless America....

"Lord, make me a channel of thy peace-that where there is hatred,I may bring love-that where there is wrong,I may bring the spirit of forgiveness-that where there is discord, I may bring harmony-that where there is error, I may bring truth-that where there is doubt, I may bring faith-that where there is despair, I may bring hope-that where there are shadows, I may bring light-that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted-to understand, than to be understood-to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. Itis by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life. Amen."

Tom, I knew you for 5 of the most glorious days of my life, riding from New York to Boston. That's when I found out something about the depth of your love for people and the (literal) lengths you would go to to help others you'd never even meet. I thought you were brave then. Little did I know what kind of love and heroism you were really made of. You still carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, proudly, gently, and without asking for anything back. Thank you.


With Love,

Nancy Franklin

From the depths of my compassionate soul......

To the memory of the many, who, without notice, were sent back to the garden....the beginning.

To the living, who, without notice, are left with the inner struggle to survive, the bleeding hearts...profusely bleeding, the gaping hole in their tortured soul, the unanswerable question.

To the witnesses and rescuers, the images forever piercing their collective consciousness, the ones who dug and pulled and directed, putting away themselves to be someone's hero.

To the heros, the ones who, to save the life of another, gave the ultimate gift of their own....

The image of the window is the transformation to the other side. The window that cannot be opened, the glass through which I can see, yet not permeate, on which my mind casts images, memories, against the darkness from the other side. Totally entranced, I watch as they dance by like a slide show.

I imagine they watch from the other side, always there always loving.

To the family of Tom and all of you, I pray for you inner peace.

tommy ..... we go back alot of years ,, you where married to one of my best friends ,, i was in your wedding party .. we laughed alot together !! god i was at yr house so much in island park i thought you would of given me a key !! =) you were always joking .. always made me laugh .. im very of you tom kelly .. your a hero .. you loved being a fireman .. you loved scuba diving and traveling ,, the dead ,, yr beer ,, god tom all the memories.. the kids at the firehouse for x-mas time ,, i cried when i heard you where one of those brave men who was fallen ,, but i no that this is the only way you would of wanted to go .. virna loved tommy .. and so did i !! you will forever be in my prayers !! god bless you .. always in our hearts !! mark & brenda battaglia

Tommy, you were a dear close friend before we ever became "in-laws". You had a shining spirit that was always clear for all to see. You always did your job unflinchingly whenever called upon. You were a fantastic and loving uncle to your nephews. You were a brother like no other in your family, especially to your sister from which i can speak first hand. You always made me feel like i was blood. Our undying love is with you always and always. May you be bathed in God's Love. /Richie

I am deeply saddened by this loss. I never had the pleasure of knowing Tom directly; however, I know of him by his participation in charity bike rides of unsurmountable challenge. I know the type of person who participates in these events --- heroes one and all. The day Tom Kelly departed this earth, the world lost a hero. You will be missed greatly.
Tom, God bless you and your family.

Tom - I only had the pleasure of meeting you a few times. My younger sister cared for you deeply and will always hold a place in her heart for you. You may not have known it, but my 6 year-old son Zack looked up at you as a hero. Isn’t it amazing that it took a tragedy like this for us to see the wisdom that only a young child can embrace? I realize now that in fact all of you are heroes. Take with you the knowledge that you and your comrades saved thousands and thousands lives on Sept 11, 2001. We will never forget you. Our hero, Tom Kelly.

God bless, Sam Zona

I remember when we hurt our legs,
And limped around on wooden pegs.
The games of chess, the Super Bowl,
Now I sit and pray your soul,
Will be at rest in a special place,
With all the angels among God's Grace.

You were so funny, you made us cry,
And now we ask the question why.
Why were you working that fateful day,
But never could you have stayed away.
For Tommy you were oh so brave,
For all the lives you tried to save,
And when you answered that final call,
You became a HERO to us all.

Tommy: My family and I were fortunate to have met you through your sister and her husband here in Florida. We were able to see firsthand your love and dedication to your nephews, Kevin, Patrick and Brian and their parents, Jeanne and Rich.They are blessed to have had such a wonderful person in their lives. We ask you help us, their friends, to find a way for us to comfort and support them through this time. They are enduring incredible pain and sorrow at the loss of you, and we want to be there for them. You, your firefighter and police officer friends, your family, your city are in our constant prayers. Love, the Sutton Family

Tommy,
You were a hero to your family long before you answered that call on September 11, 2001. I could see it in the eyes of your sister, her husband, and your nephews when they spoke of "my brother, my uncle, my brother in law, the NYC fireman". You can be sure our comfort, support, and prayers will be there for them now and always. You will be dearly missed. God Bless.

Tommy Friendship and relationships usually consist of many memories both good and bad. Thats were my story begins you see I've done alot of reflecting,thinking,along with some soul searchingand my memory of the times spent and shared with you are only those of good times, fulfilling experiences,happy moments and lots of good ole plain fun.I cant remember any sadness,anger boring times,bad experiences,or dull moments.Ironically now I'm sad,filled with anger because of a terrible occurance through no fault of your own.I'm gratefull both to you and god for having the chance to share part of my life with you.I also believe that one day we will enjoy each other again. WISH YOU WERE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!! MARK

Tommy, wish that we had had a chance to get to know you, but we had a glimpse of you through our good friends the Farrells. We heard stories of their visits up to NY and the good times you all shared. Your family will continue to draw from your strength and the example that you set in how you lived your life. I will toast you when Jean and Rich get back down to Florida.

This past summer I became friends with your sister, Jeanne, and her wonderful family. Although I never got to meet you, I imagine that you are just as loving and kind as your sister. Your bravery and unselfish sacrafice will never be forgotten. You are truly a hero.

Dear Father God, I praise your name. I praise the love and strength that we get only from you. Thank you for Tom Kelly. He looks just like his sister Jean. You made a beautiful family. His sister Jean works so lovingly and tenderly with my little ones, teaching them to sing joyfully and in praise. Thank you that she has a brother like Tom. A brother who is brave, full of honor, commitment, and love. Please comfort her and her family. Minister to them through the Holy Spirit, your Word, and through your people. Please bless them with peace. My heart breaks for them,Lord. Please guide me as I pray for them in the future. Please bless Tom's last moments, and may he have not suffered. Amen.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to all of Tom's family. The bravery he displayed in the time of need will be implanted in my heart always. May God's grace get you through this sorrowful time."
In God's Love, --Linda Brodsky

"You are a true hero. You gave the ultimate. May God bless you and your family." --Jean Bernstein

I pray that Tom's family and friends find support and comfort in this time of grief and loss. I especially pray for Jean and her family as she returns to her home in Florida. May she and her family feel God's love through their friends. --Michelle Corzine

Tom had a great appreciation for the important things in life. His “families” both at home and at Dean Street were always his first priority. He always believed that we should take advantage of every precious moment we have together here on earth, because there were no guarantees in life. He also loved his job as a firefighter and all the friends that he made here and abroad on his various adventures. From hiking through the Amazon to scuba diving around the world, he loved being out and about not letting life pass him by.

I must admit there rarely was a dull moment with him. He loved to live life on the edge, sometimes too much for me. He could make friends, easier than most for Tom truly had a heart of gold and people were drawn to him. I feel fortunate for the time we got to spend together. He was a good husband, a great fireman and a best friend. For even though we went our separate ways, I always knew they were good times I never would trade.

He was always such a free spirit, full of life and energy; always willing to help others. The job did not make him a hero, that was the real Tom Kelly. An angel who answered God’s call to always place others before himself. I noticed this first, when we met 15 years ago at South Nassau Nursing Home. He was full of compassion and sympathy for others he did not know. I am sure that this was still true on the morning of September 11, 2001. Regardless of the cost, Tom was on a mission.

I believe that our destiny is predetermined and I was very lucky to have spent time with Tom here on earth. But like a free spirit, he could not be held back. Now he is in heaven, on a new mission; to be our guardian angel, to watch over you and me. So wipe away the tears, for that’s not what Tom would want. He would want us to carry on his values and remember him in every bird, every flower and every child’s smile. For he would want us to celebrate life.

Virna Kelly

Lord,
Thank You for bringing people such as Tom into to the lives of the many people who knew him, someone who brought much love and laughter. I do not know this man personally, but I don't have to know him to feel the loving impact he had on the people who held him dear. Thank You for enriching their lives with his presence, and let us all be grateful for the blessings You give us everyday in the form of a friend's warm smile. I pray, Father, that You ease the suffering hearts of Tom's family, friends, and co-workers, and dry their tears, and help them to move on in life and become stronger people as a result of this untimely loss of life. May God bless you all richly!
In Christ's name, amen.

Peace be with Tom and his friends and loved ones. May light perpetual shine upon Tom.

Dear Lord,

please bless this strong and brave soul, who's returned to our house. Please give this sould direction and peace. Please be with his family, please bring them the comfort of your arms. Bless them with your love and your grace. Bless them with strength, courage and the wisdom to accept your decision. May they be blessed with the ispiration and the wish to worship to you and go on with the rest of their lives praising you and asking you for belssings. Bless this man's soul and all of others who have fallen during this brave task that they took upon themselves to help save your children during these tragedies. Bring peace and comfort to all whose lives have been touched by these tragedies, dear lord. Please bless Tom and all other brave firefighters and officers who have fallen. thank you dear lord

Thank you Jesus for blessing us with people like Tom, having a loving heart such as his. I know he is in a better place. But please send comfort to his family because i know they miss him very much. Have mercy upon them according to your loving kindness and tender mercies. They will trust in you o Lord so their enemies will never triumph over them. Thier voices shall you hear in the moring. In the morning will their direct their prayers and to you we will look up. Guide their footsteps oLord and camp your host of Angels around them. We will forever give you praise and thanks.
AMEN