BUFFALO, N.Y. — People from the city of Buffalo and beyond on Friday paid their respects to fallen firefighter Jason Arno, or “Jay” as his loved ones knew him.
Loving, kind and the life of the room: those were just some of the words Delton Arno used to describe his brother Jason — but he wasn’t the only person who Jason left a mark on.
Friday’s service gave just a taste of the legacy Arno leaves behind.
“He wanted to be the husband. The father. The son. The brother. The friend,” said Rev. James Van Dyke, S.J., homilist. “He wanted to be there for and with us.”
Being there for people is exactly what Jason Arno did — and died for.
Arno’s sacrifice resonated with the hundreds of people who filled Saint Joseph Cathedral’s pews and the streets outside.
“We never know when we’re going to get that call, when they go off to work if they’re going to come back again,” said Bishop Michael Fisher, Diocese of Buffalo.
Arno was a dedicated firefighter who was always smiling, with a flair for cooking that warmed the hearts and stomachs of his family, both at home and at Engine 2.
But emergencies pop up — just like the one on March 1.
“Jay ran into the kitchen to drop the groceries so he could relieve the firefighter who was waiting for him,” said Vincent Ventresca, Buffalo Professional Firefighters, Local 282, president. “There was no way he was going to let his crew go out the door without him.”
That was the last call Arno would respond to.
Those who knew him remembered the good.
“I realized how much that little guy in the first seat of the first row in 1b9 at Canisius High School had grown,” said Van Dyke. “And not just in size or stature and smarts, but how much he has grown in love.”
“His mood depended entirely on yours, so your happiness came first,” said Delton Arno. “My mood depended entirely on his, so I always came with problems he could solve.”
While the pain of Arno’s loss will eventually fade, there’s no doubt his memory will be kept alive in people’s hearts.
“After my tears are spent and my own memories languishes, I will still know what he did for us,” said Delton Arno. “More than anything, I am so thankful.”
Arno’s family was presented with a line of duty medal during the service.
Next year, his name will be inscribed on a memorial to fallen firefighter memorial in Colorado Springs.