Bronx Firefighter Joseph P. Spor Jr.

For Joe Spor, who was assigned to Rescue 3 just three weeks before his death, working there was the culmination of a lifelong dream. He had entered the New York City Fire Department seven years earlier, but at Rescue 3 was joining the company where his father, Joe Sr., a retired lieutenant, had served. An expert carpenter, Joe, 35, also was known for his easygoing demeanor and love of music. 

From the Discovery Channel website:   NEW YORK FIREFIGHTERS, THE BROTHERHOOD OF SEPT.11th  The Fallen Firefighters of Rescue Company 3

Even though Anthony, Kansas is hundreds of miles from New York City, Washington D.C. and a field in western Pennsylvania, we felt their shock, horror and pain of Sept. 11, 2001.  The people of Anthony wanted to do something to help that would make a difference.  After contacting several agencies, our mayor, John Schott, finally connected with a firehouse in the Bronx that had been devastated with many losses.  He asked if they could help our small community locate one family that had lost a loved one that might need some immediate outside assistance.  Joe Huber, at Engine 88, Ladder Company 38, told the mayor about his friend and co-worker, Joe Spor.  

He said Joe was 35 yrs. old, had a beautiful wife, Colleen, and had 4 children, the oldest was 6 and the youngest was 6 months old.  Spor had just begun a remodeling project on their home before he rushed to the World Trade Center in Rescue 3 that day.  Joe Huber continued by saying the firefighters from the firehouse where he worked stepped in and were finishing the remodeling for the family, but they could use financial help to get the job done.  The people from Anthony "adopted" this family and have sent tokens of our love to them over the period of time, and continue to do so now.

In March of 2002, Joe Huber came to Anthony from the Bronx, representing Engine 88, Ladder Company 38, to personally thank its citizens and to meet the people who have been so kind to his brother's family.  He was so gracious to visit the schools and meet the children who has sent gifts, cards, pictures and emails to the firehouse and to the Spor family.  Joe explained during an assembly the school had for him and our local firefighters, that all firefighters are in a brotherhood, they feel as if each and every firefighter is their  brother or sister.  The students in Ms. Carr's and Mrs. Beam's classes had composed 2 computer slide shows set to music to honor the brave men and women and to thank them for their commitment to their communities by serving as firefighters.   Joe Huber also visited Friendship Meals to visit with the senior citizens and was presented with a gift from a retired volunteer firefighter from Anthony.  Before he left town he made his way up and down our small Main St. to meet and thank as many of the business owners as he could.  The Anthony Volunteer Fire & Rescue firefighters had a gathering for him and Huber shared some NYC caps and T-shirts with them before he left.  

In November 2002, Mayor John Schott, his wife Pam and son Joseph, flew to New York, as the guests of Joe Huber and his family, to meet the family of Joseph Spor, and to visit the site of the World Trade Center tragedy.  They brought back many pictures and stories of their trip and shared them with the community in Schott's weekly column, From the Mayor, in the Anthony Republican, the local newspaper. (John has given his permission to include his words on this tribute page to Joseph Spor.  To read these columns, click here.)  While they were there, the fire house where Joe Spor and Joe Huber worked, treated the Schott family to a special dinner, inviting the wife and children of Joe Spor, and also his father, Joseph Spor, Sr., sisters and their children.  

The culmination of this connection led to a Sept. 11 Memorial being erected in Memorial Park and was dedication Sept. 11, 2004. 

A reporter, Edward M. Eveld from the Kansas City Star, wrote a story Feb. 3, 2002 about Anthony and its New York firefighter, Joe Spor.  Mr. Eveld did a follow-up story on the Anthony 9-11 Memorial, April 15, 2004.  

To visit Joe's Engine 88, Ladder Company 38, click here.

To visit the homepage and tribute pages of Engine 88, Ladder Company 38, http://www.engine88ladder38.com/Links.htm, and http://www.engine88ladder38.com/Memorial.htm.

To view the Rescue 3 official tribute go http://www.fdnyrescue3.com/911/spor.html

http://www.fdnyrescue3.com/indextwo.html

A special bond has been formed between one small Kansas farming community and the family and friends of one colossal human being, Joseph Spor, Jr.  He will not be forgotten.

The Change

One hand
Reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
They say what good have you done
By saving just this one
It's like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me

This heart
Still believes
The love and mercy still exist
While all the hatred rage and so many say
That love is all but pointless in madness such as this
It's like trying to stop a fire
With the moisture from a kiss

And I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world will know
That it will not change me

As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone

I hear them saying you'll never change things
And no matter what you do it's still the same thing
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so this world we know
Never changes me

What I do is so

This world will know

That it will not change me.

Thank you for viewing Joe Spor's page.  Each time it is visited, he is remembered.

Go to the Anthony 9-11 Memorial site.

THE CHANGE

SONG WRITTEN BY: Tony Arata & Wayne Tester 

Made popular by Garth Brooks
PRODUCED BY: Allen Reynolds
PUBLISHED BY: Little Tybee Music/Forerunner Music, Inc. (ASCAP)/MCA Music
Publishing, a division of MCA, Inc. (ASCAP) ©1995

MIDI PLAYING - "AMAZING GRACE"

Picture Collage of Joseph P. Spor, Jr.

Courtesy of Hal's Photography

Photo of Joe Huber and Anthony Fire Department

Taken by J. W. Stout

Photo at the firehouse

Furnished by Pam Schott 

Taken in New York City

Last modified:  August 29, 2006  

Copyright 2002 Debbie Mangen