Gaudet, an 11-year-veteran of the Binghamton Fire Department, was killed in February fighting a major blaze in Downtown Binghamton near the Court Street Bridge.
John “JR” Gaudet, a Binghamton firefighter who was killed battling a major fire in February, was honored at Fox Nation’s Patriot Awards Ceremony earlier this month.
Gaudet, an 11-year veteran of the Binghamton Fire Department, was posthumously awarded the Tunnel to Towers Stephen Siller Courage Award on Nov. 6. Before the award was presented, a tribute video was played with clips of interviews with fellow Binghamton firefighters and his widow, Felly Gaudet, who accepted the award on his behalf.
“Gaudet was presented with the Tunnel to Towers Stephen Siller Award, named after the New York City firefighter who gave his life on 9/11,” a Fox Nation spokesperson said in a statement to Pipe Dream. “The award celebrates individuals who exemplify bravery, kindness, and selflessness, qualities that defined J.R. every single day of his life.”
On Feb. 12, a three-alarm fire broke out on Main Street in Downtown Binghamton near the Court Street Bridge, destroying buildings at 1 and 3 Main St. A wall collapsed while firefighters were battling the fire, killing Gaudet and injuring two others. The three were transported to UHS Wilson Medical Center, where Gaudet was pronounced dead. The other two firefighters later recovered from their injuries.
An investigation after the fire determined that its source had “human involvement.” In April, Patrick K. Shea, 36, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and arson in the fourth degree for his alleged involvement in starting the fire.
The Patriot Awards Ceremony celebrates “America’s finest patriots, including military veterans, first responders and other inspirational everyday heroes,” according to a news release sent to Press & Sun Bulletin. First Lady Melania Trump and Erika Kirk — the wife of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and podcaster who was assassinated [HYPERLINK: https://www.bupipedream.com/news/charlie-kirk-dead-at-31/169303/%5D at a Turning Point USA event in September — were also honored at the ceremony.
The award was presented by Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino, hosts of “America’s Newsroom” on Fox News Channel, Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, and Stephen Siller Jr., the son of a firefighter who was killed on Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center. While accepting the award, Felly thanked Tunnels to Towers, Fox Nation and the Binghamton community for their support.
“I’m truly honored to accept this on behalf of my wonderful husband, John Gaudet,” Felly said. “This journey of grief, losing your loved one, the biggest fear that I have is people forgetting him, people forgetting his laugh, his stories, his sacrifice. But tonight you all reminded me that he’s not forgotten, that you also remember him, not just as a hero to his community, but who he was to us, his family.”
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to veterans, first responders and their families, is a partner of Fox Nation. On July 4, the organization supported Gaudet’s family by paying off their home’s mortgage through its Fallen First Responders Home Program.
After Gaudet’s passing, the community responded with an outpouring of support and appreciation for him and his family. Mayor Jared Kraham, Gov. Kathy Hochul, State Sen. Lea Webb ’04 and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo MA ’84 released statements expressing their condolences and support for Gaudet, Felly and their three children. A GoFundMe to support the family was created on Feb. 13, which has raised over $300,000 as of publication.
In April, Gaudet, a youth lacrosse coach who played on Binghamton University’s Division I men’s lacrosse team during the 2003-2004 seasons, was honored at a home game against the University at Albany.
“Thank you to Fox Nation for choosing to honor him and for helping me to tell the world his story and who he was,” Felly said. “That he wasn’t just a firefighter, but he was Johnny to me. He was JR to a lot of people. He was coach to a lot of kids. And he was just daddy to my kids.”
