It’s hard to say goodbye to a hero.
Calling hours were held Tuesday for John Gaudet, a 40-year-old Binghamton firefighter and father of three who died while fighting a fire last week when a wall fell and trapped him inside a burning structure.
“Dedicated Binghamton firefighter, dedicated paramedic,” said Chris Mallory, a firefighter with the Binghamton Fire Department.
It's even harder to say goodbye to a close friend.
“He had an infectious smile and laugh, and it was just easy for everyone to love him,” said Mallory, who worked with Gaudet for all 11 years he was in the city fire department.
He said Gaudet was dedicated to the job and eager to help.
“He was always 100%, you know, gung-ho to go right at anything that faced him, and uh, you know Wednesday night was no different,” he recalled.
Outside of work, Gaudet immersed himself in the community coaching youth sports and sharing his passion for the game of lacrosse.
Mallory said Gaudet remembered everyone he came in contact with and genuinely wanted the best for them.
“He would always ask, 'how are the boys doing?' And I wasn’t any different," Mallory said. "He would ask everybody the same thing, but he knew my boys by name and so he’d always ask, 'what are they up to now? What’s up next? What’s up next week? You know, what can I do for you?'"
It’s that compassion that left a deep impact on the community. Friends, family, colleagues, and even first responders from across the state showed up Tuesday to pay their respects.
Born in Binghamton, Gaudet, who was called J.R. by many, served as an 11-year veteran of the department. He is survived by his wife, three young children, ages 3, 5 and 9, his parents and other family and friends.
It’s hard to lose a brother in the line of duty, Mallory said.
“You kind of realize and have a moment where you’re like, 'wow, you know, I’m lucky to be here,'" he said. "But that’s what we’re here for, right, for each other and it’s gonna, everything will be different now because of that.”
A member of Binghamton High School's 2002 graduating class, Gaudet went on to attend Binghamton University, where he played Division I lacrosse during the 2003-2004 seasons. A left-handed attacker, he transferred to SUNY Cortland, where he played lacrosse in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
Gaudet coached youth lacrosse teams for the Binghamton, Seton and Windsor school districts and multiple Binghamton youth sports teams.
“JR embodied what it means to be a firefighter – fearless, dedicated, and always putting others before himself," the Binghamton Fire Department said in a statement quoted in Gaudet's obituary. "His infectious smile, unwavering positivity, and relentless work ethic made him a brother to all who had the honor of serving alongside him. He was the kind of firefighter you could always count on, the one who would have your back no matter the situation.”
A funeral will take place at the church Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Gaudet will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City.
Mallory hopes people can learn from Gaudet, and embody some of the kindness he was known for.
“Be a caring, loving person, selfless like J.R. was, to do your best every day for others and our family, because that’s what he did, and that’s how everybody should be,” Mallory said.
