John served New York City as a Firefighter in Rescue 5, New York City Fire Department. He was killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
His name can be found on Panel S-6 of the National September 11, Memorial in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John P. Bergin's house was the neighborhood house.
Holiday celebrations there included both sides of the family and the neighbors. The Fourth of July party that doubled as his son's birthday party included at least 100 people, most of whom didn't need to be invited anymore; they just showed up.
The 39-year-old New Dorp resident had a way of making friends — from the old-timer in the bar to famous people — and a way of keeping them.
Mr. Bergin met his wife, the former Madeline Fleming, when they were students at New Dorp High School. The pair began dating immediately after graduating in 1979.
He had several jobs, including that of court officer at Manhattan Criminal Court, before joining the Fire Department in 1985. Mr. Bergin was assigned to Ladder Co. 6 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
"We all grew up together there," Mrs. Bergin recalled. "A group of us were girlfriends of the guys, then we became wives. We went to each other's weddings, then christenings."
When their third child was on the way, Mr. Bergin transferred to Staten Island to cut down on his commute. He was prepared for the elite Rescue Co. 5 squad with training in scuba, hazmat (hazardous materials), and confined spaces, and assigned to the Concord firehouse in March 1995.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Bergin was on duty an hour and a half before his shift began, when the call came in for the World Trade Center. He responded, along with the rest of Rescue 5, and has been missing since.
Born in Dongan Hills, Mr. Bergin was brought to Grant City when he was 10 years old. He and his wife continued to live in Grant City when they married in 1987. When their home on Fremont Avenue was hit by a tornado in 1990, they began a friendship with then-City Councilman Fred Cerullo, which continued after their move to New Dorp seven years ago.
A Daily News Football All Star at New Dorp, he continued playing football in touch tackle leagues for teams that included the Fremont Braves, the triple crown-winner Millard Fillmore, and the FDNY Bravest team. Off the field, he presided over Monday Night Football at Lee's Tavern, Dongan Hills, where he worked as a bartender for many years.
Mr. Bergin also played softball on local teams, but switched to coaching as his children grew older. He coached 11-year-old Katie's Mid-Island softball team, and for the past three years coached his son, John, on the Staten Island Little League team "Franco's Army," named for Met pitcher John Franco, whose son is also on the team.
When Franco wore an FDNY hat for the last three weeks of the Mets' baseball season, the significance was very personal for the Bergin family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bergin also coached basketball for the intramural teams at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp, the family parish.
His fitness regime included jogging, and the children joined him, with the youngest following on a bike. He ran with the kids in several holiday and memorial races on the Island.
Mr. Bergin's firefighter's schedule enabled him to be "Mr. Mom" when his wife returned to teaching. He graduated from changing diapers to going on class trips, taking part in assemblies and becoming a guest speaker on fire safety. "We were lucky, with his schedule he could do all these things with the kids," said his wife. "And there was never a question that he would do it."
His wife's schedule also allowed Mr. Bergin to be the "camp director," planning trips for every school vacation. There was a trip for every season. They drove to Florida, caravaning with other families; to the beach at Point Pleasant, N.J., and a ski trip was booked for February. Most recently, he planned an annual family reunion in the Poconos, set for November.
With two and a half years to go until retirement, and the family travel agent role under his belt, Mr. Bergin had a pool and deck installed, and was getting ready to launch his own business.
Mr. Bergin realized his lifelong dream of owning his own bar in June, when he bought the former Overtime Inn in Grant City, right up the block from the couple's former residence. He was just two weeks away from completing renovations on the place, which he had renamed the Grant City Tavern.
Mr. Bergin and his brother, George, also had recently purchased a party tent rental business, which they planned to run with the firefighter's son, John, and his nephews, George and Patrick.
This summer, the renovations at the bar made it impossible — for the first time — for the father of three to go on the family vacation. He accompanied his young family to the airport, where they joined another mother and three children for a trip to Florida. His wife, who had seen a tear slip down their son's cheek, turned to see Mr. Bergin's eyes filled. "As soon as you get there, call," he said. "You have my life on that plane."
After they boarded the plane, the stewardess, hearing they were first-time fliers, invited the children to visit the pilot. All six kids jammed into the cockpit. Mrs. Bergin heard her son say, "I see Daddy!" and there in the terminal was her husband, waving to them all.
Mr. Bergin was a member of the Fire Department Vikings Association, Emerald Society and Holy Name Society.
In addition to his wife, Madeline; his daughter, Katie; his son, John, and his brother, George, surviving are another daughter, Shannon; his parents, George and Agnes, and his sister, Mary Ellen O'Rourke.
His name can be found on Panel S-6 of the National September 11, Memorial in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John P. Bergin's house was the neighborhood house.
Holiday celebrations there included both sides of the family and the neighbors. The Fourth of July party that doubled as his son's birthday party included at least 100 people, most of whom didn't need to be invited anymore; they just showed up.
The 39-year-old New Dorp resident had a way of making friends — from the old-timer in the bar to famous people — and a way of keeping them.
Mr. Bergin met his wife, the former Madeline Fleming, when they were students at New Dorp High School. The pair began dating immediately after graduating in 1979.
He had several jobs, including that of court officer at Manhattan Criminal Court, before joining the Fire Department in 1985. Mr. Bergin was assigned to Ladder Co. 6 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
"We all grew up together there," Mrs. Bergin recalled. "A group of us were girlfriends of the guys, then we became wives. We went to each other's weddings, then christenings."
When their third child was on the way, Mr. Bergin transferred to Staten Island to cut down on his commute. He was prepared for the elite Rescue Co. 5 squad with training in scuba, hazmat (hazardous materials), and confined spaces, and assigned to the Concord firehouse in March 1995.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Bergin was on duty an hour and a half before his shift began, when the call came in for the World Trade Center. He responded, along with the rest of Rescue 5, and has been missing since.
Born in Dongan Hills, Mr. Bergin was brought to Grant City when he was 10 years old. He and his wife continued to live in Grant City when they married in 1987. When their home on Fremont Avenue was hit by a tornado in 1990, they began a friendship with then-City Councilman Fred Cerullo, which continued after their move to New Dorp seven years ago.
A Daily News Football All Star at New Dorp, he continued playing football in touch tackle leagues for teams that included the Fremont Braves, the triple crown-winner Millard Fillmore, and the FDNY Bravest team. Off the field, he presided over Monday Night Football at Lee's Tavern, Dongan Hills, where he worked as a bartender for many years.
Mr. Bergin also played softball on local teams, but switched to coaching as his children grew older. He coached 11-year-old Katie's Mid-Island softball team, and for the past three years coached his son, John, on the Staten Island Little League team "Franco's Army," named for Met pitcher John Franco, whose son is also on the team.
When Franco wore an FDNY hat for the last three weeks of the Mets' baseball season, the significance was very personal for the Bergin family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bergin also coached basketball for the intramural teams at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp, the family parish.
His fitness regime included jogging, and the children joined him, with the youngest following on a bike. He ran with the kids in several holiday and memorial races on the Island.
Mr. Bergin's firefighter's schedule enabled him to be "Mr. Mom" when his wife returned to teaching. He graduated from changing diapers to going on class trips, taking part in assemblies and becoming a guest speaker on fire safety. "We were lucky, with his schedule he could do all these things with the kids," said his wife. "And there was never a question that he would do it."
His wife's schedule also allowed Mr. Bergin to be the "camp director," planning trips for every school vacation. There was a trip for every season. They drove to Florida, caravaning with other families; to the beach at Point Pleasant, N.J., and a ski trip was booked for February. Most recently, he planned an annual family reunion in the Poconos, set for November.
With two and a half years to go until retirement, and the family travel agent role under his belt, Mr. Bergin had a pool and deck installed, and was getting ready to launch his own business.
Mr. Bergin realized his lifelong dream of owning his own bar in June, when he bought the former Overtime Inn in Grant City, right up the block from the couple's former residence. He was just two weeks away from completing renovations on the place, which he had renamed the Grant City Tavern.
Mr. Bergin and his brother, George, also had recently purchased a party tent rental business, which they planned to run with the firefighter's son, John, and his nephews, George and Patrick.
This summer, the renovations at the bar made it impossible — for the first time — for the father of three to go on the family vacation. He accompanied his young family to the airport, where they joined another mother and three children for a trip to Florida. His wife, who had seen a tear slip down their son's cheek, turned to see Mr. Bergin's eyes filled. "As soon as you get there, call," he said. "You have my life on that plane."
After they boarded the plane, the stewardess, hearing they were first-time fliers, invited the children to visit the pilot. All six kids jammed into the cockpit. Mrs. Bergin heard her son say, "I see Daddy!" and there in the terminal was her husband, waving to them all.
Mr. Bergin was a member of the Fire Department Vikings Association, Emerald Society and Holy Name Society.
In addition to his wife, Madeline; his daughter, Katie; his son, John, and his brother, George, surviving are another daughter, Shannon; his parents, George and Agnes, and his sister, Mary Ellen O'Rourke.
John served New York City as a Firefighter in Rescue 5, New York City Fire Department. He was killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
His name can be found on Panel S-6 of the National September 11, Memorial in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John P. Bergin's house was the neighborhood house.
Holiday celebrations there included both sides of the family and the neighbors. The Fourth of July party that doubled as his son's birthday party included at least 100 people, most of whom didn't need to be invited anymore; they just showed up.
The 39-year-old New Dorp resident had a way of making friends — from the old-timer in the bar to famous people — and a way of keeping them.
Mr. Bergin met his wife, the former Madeline Fleming, when they were students at New Dorp High School. The pair began dating immediately after graduating in 1979.
He had several jobs, including that of court officer at Manhattan Criminal Court, before joining the Fire Department in 1985. Mr. Bergin was assigned to Ladder Co. 6 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
"We all grew up together there," Mrs. Bergin recalled. "A group of us were girlfriends of the guys, then we became wives. We went to each other's weddings, then christenings."
When their third child was on the way, Mr. Bergin transferred to Staten Island to cut down on his commute. He was prepared for the elite Rescue Co. 5 squad with training in scuba, hazmat (hazardous materials), and confined spaces, and assigned to the Concord firehouse in March 1995.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Bergin was on duty an hour and a half before his shift began, when the call came in for the World Trade Center. He responded, along with the rest of Rescue 5, and has been missing since.
Born in Dongan Hills, Mr. Bergin was brought to Grant City when he was 10 years old. He and his wife continued to live in Grant City when they married in 1987. When their home on Fremont Avenue was hit by a tornado in 1990, they began a friendship with then-City Councilman Fred Cerullo, which continued after their move to New Dorp seven years ago.
A Daily News Football All Star at New Dorp, he continued playing football in touch tackle leagues for teams that included the Fremont Braves, the triple crown-winner Millard Fillmore, and the FDNY Bravest team. Off the field, he presided over Monday Night Football at Lee's Tavern, Dongan Hills, where he worked as a bartender for many years.
Mr. Bergin also played softball on local teams, but switched to coaching as his children grew older. He coached 11-year-old Katie's Mid-Island softball team, and for the past three years coached his son, John, on the Staten Island Little League team "Franco's Army," named for Met pitcher John Franco, whose son is also on the team.
When Franco wore an FDNY hat for the last three weeks of the Mets' baseball season, the significance was very personal for the Bergin family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bergin also coached basketball for the intramural teams at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp, the family parish.
His fitness regime included jogging, and the children joined him, with the youngest following on a bike. He ran with the kids in several holiday and memorial races on the Island.
Mr. Bergin's firefighter's schedule enabled him to be "Mr. Mom" when his wife returned to teaching. He graduated from changing diapers to going on class trips, taking part in assemblies and becoming a guest speaker on fire safety. "We were lucky, with his schedule he could do all these things with the kids," said his wife. "And there was never a question that he would do it."
His wife's schedule also allowed Mr. Bergin to be the "camp director," planning trips for every school vacation. There was a trip for every season. They drove to Florida, caravaning with other families; to the beach at Point Pleasant, N.J., and a ski trip was booked for February. Most recently, he planned an annual family reunion in the Poconos, set for November.
With two and a half years to go until retirement, and the family travel agent role under his belt, Mr. Bergin had a pool and deck installed, and was getting ready to launch his own business.
Mr. Bergin realized his lifelong dream of owning his own bar in June, when he bought the former Overtime Inn in Grant City, right up the block from the couple's former residence. He was just two weeks away from completing renovations on the place, which he had renamed the Grant City Tavern.
Mr. Bergin and his brother, George, also had recently purchased a party tent rental business, which they planned to run with the firefighter's son, John, and his nephews, George and Patrick.
This summer, the renovations at the bar made it impossible — for the first time — for the father of three to go on the family vacation. He accompanied his young family to the airport, where they joined another mother and three children for a trip to Florida. His wife, who had seen a tear slip down their son's cheek, turned to see Mr. Bergin's eyes filled. "As soon as you get there, call," he said. "You have my life on that plane."
After they boarded the plane, the stewardess, hearing they were first-time fliers, invited the children to visit the pilot. All six kids jammed into the cockpit. Mrs. Bergin heard her son say, "I see Daddy!" and there in the terminal was her husband, waving to them all.
Mr. Bergin was a member of the Fire Department Vikings Association, Emerald Society and Holy Name Society.
In addition to his wife, Madeline; his daughter, Katie; his son, John, and his brother, George, surviving are another daughter, Shannon; his parents, George and Agnes, and his sister, Mary Ellen O'Rourke.
His name can be found on Panel S-6 of the National September 11, Memorial in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — John P. Bergin's house was the neighborhood house.
Holiday celebrations there included both sides of the family and the neighbors. The Fourth of July party that doubled as his son's birthday party included at least 100 people, most of whom didn't need to be invited anymore; they just showed up.
The 39-year-old New Dorp resident had a way of making friends — from the old-timer in the bar to famous people — and a way of keeping them.
Mr. Bergin met his wife, the former Madeline Fleming, when they were students at New Dorp High School. The pair began dating immediately after graduating in 1979.
He had several jobs, including that of court officer at Manhattan Criminal Court, before joining the Fire Department in 1985. Mr. Bergin was assigned to Ladder Co. 6 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
"We all grew up together there," Mrs. Bergin recalled. "A group of us were girlfriends of the guys, then we became wives. We went to each other's weddings, then christenings."
When their third child was on the way, Mr. Bergin transferred to Staten Island to cut down on his commute. He was prepared for the elite Rescue Co. 5 squad with training in scuba, hazmat (hazardous materials), and confined spaces, and assigned to the Concord firehouse in March 1995.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Bergin was on duty an hour and a half before his shift began, when the call came in for the World Trade Center. He responded, along with the rest of Rescue 5, and has been missing since.
Born in Dongan Hills, Mr. Bergin was brought to Grant City when he was 10 years old. He and his wife continued to live in Grant City when they married in 1987. When their home on Fremont Avenue was hit by a tornado in 1990, they began a friendship with then-City Councilman Fred Cerullo, which continued after their move to New Dorp seven years ago.
A Daily News Football All Star at New Dorp, he continued playing football in touch tackle leagues for teams that included the Fremont Braves, the triple crown-winner Millard Fillmore, and the FDNY Bravest team. Off the field, he presided over Monday Night Football at Lee's Tavern, Dongan Hills, where he worked as a bartender for many years.
Mr. Bergin also played softball on local teams, but switched to coaching as his children grew older. He coached 11-year-old Katie's Mid-Island softball team, and for the past three years coached his son, John, on the Staten Island Little League team "Franco's Army," named for Met pitcher John Franco, whose son is also on the team.
When Franco wore an FDNY hat for the last three weeks of the Mets' baseball season, the significance was very personal for the Bergin family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bergin also coached basketball for the intramural teams at Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church in New Dorp, the family parish.
His fitness regime included jogging, and the children joined him, with the youngest following on a bike. He ran with the kids in several holiday and memorial races on the Island.
Mr. Bergin's firefighter's schedule enabled him to be "Mr. Mom" when his wife returned to teaching. He graduated from changing diapers to going on class trips, taking part in assemblies and becoming a guest speaker on fire safety. "We were lucky, with his schedule he could do all these things with the kids," said his wife. "And there was never a question that he would do it."
His wife's schedule also allowed Mr. Bergin to be the "camp director," planning trips for every school vacation. There was a trip for every season. They drove to Florida, caravaning with other families; to the beach at Point Pleasant, N.J., and a ski trip was booked for February. Most recently, he planned an annual family reunion in the Poconos, set for November.
With two and a half years to go until retirement, and the family travel agent role under his belt, Mr. Bergin had a pool and deck installed, and was getting ready to launch his own business.
Mr. Bergin realized his lifelong dream of owning his own bar in June, when he bought the former Overtime Inn in Grant City, right up the block from the couple's former residence. He was just two weeks away from completing renovations on the place, which he had renamed the Grant City Tavern.
Mr. Bergin and his brother, George, also had recently purchased a party tent rental business, which they planned to run with the firefighter's son, John, and his nephews, George and Patrick.
This summer, the renovations at the bar made it impossible — for the first time — for the father of three to go on the family vacation. He accompanied his young family to the airport, where they joined another mother and three children for a trip to Florida. His wife, who had seen a tear slip down their son's cheek, turned to see Mr. Bergin's eyes filled. "As soon as you get there, call," he said. "You have my life on that plane."
After they boarded the plane, the stewardess, hearing they were first-time fliers, invited the children to visit the pilot. All six kids jammed into the cockpit. Mrs. Bergin heard her son say, "I see Daddy!" and there in the terminal was her husband, waving to them all.
Mr. Bergin was a member of the Fire Department Vikings Association, Emerald Society and Holy Name Society.
In addition to his wife, Madeline; his daughter, Katie; his son, John, and his brother, George, surviving are another daughter, Shannon; his parents, George and Agnes, and his sister, Mary Ellen O'Rourke.
Inscription
LOVING HUSBAND FATHER SON BROTHER UNCLE MAN HATH NO GREATER LOVE THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND "If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever."
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