Jim Riches, former FDNY chief and voice for 9/11 families, laid to rest after dying from illness linked to terror attack
James Riches, the former New York City deputy fire chief and a national spokesman for families who lost loved ones on 9/11, became the latest firefighter to die from an illness related to the attack.
Riches, who recovered his oldest son's remains in the rubble after the 2001 terror attack in Lower Manhattan, was laid to rest Monday during a funeral at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Firefighters lined the street outside to honor Riches, a 30-year FDNY veteran, who died on Thanksgiving. He was 74.
"Jimmy was one of the leaders"
Riches was remembered for his outspoken efforts to ensure 9/11 first responders were never forgotten. He opposed a plea deal for the mastermind of the attacks and fought for the U.S. government to establish a health fund for those sickened by the toxic dust at Ground Zero.
His son, Jimmy Jr., was one of the 342 firefighters who died on 9/11. Every day for six months, he went to Ground Zero looking for his son's remains, sifting through tons of debris to try and bring him home.
So, the muffled drums and dirge of bagpipes at Riches' funeral were nothing new for the man who said he'd grieve every day for the son he lost. But he turned the hurt and heartache into purpose by fighting for others who lost loved ones and got sick from working on the pile.
"Jimmy was one of the, we called them the fathers at the World Trade Center, a group of fathers that were looking for their sons. They were our inspiration. They made us work harder, " former FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano said. "We saw them there every day ... They were our guiding light to make sure that we did as much as we could to bring home as many people as we could. And Jimmy was one of the leaders of there."
"He wouldn't let the loss of his son go"
Riches did everything possible during his life to keep the memory of his son alive. He even kept his Mercedes convertible, which he once drove to an interview with CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer.
"He was like the epitome of everybody we wanted to be. He spoke the truth when he spoke for the families after 9/11," said Richard Brower, former head of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.
To many, Riches' funeral felt like one of the saddest days for the FDNY.
"It's one of the saddest because of his spirit, and he wouldn't let it go. He wouldn't let the loss of his son go," Brower said.
Among the many other fights Riches fought on behalf of the 9/11 families was his opposition to housing the unidentified human remains inside the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
"We want those remains up on the plaza, in a nice memorial where they can continue DNA testing, like they are in the basement. They don't belong in an admission-charging museum," Riches said.
His wife, Rita, was presented with his helmet after the funeral Mass, before the pipes and drums offered a final sendoff.