Michael Emmett Brennan: Mikey B.
the Prankster
His
birth certificate said Michael Emmett Brennan, but
everyone knew him as Mikey B. And if there was fun to be
had, he would find it.
Growing up in a large Irish family in Queens, Mikey
Brennan, 27, would delight in throwing a bucket of cold
water on his brother Brian when he was in the shower.
When his brother retaliated by smearing Vaseline in his
hair, he could see the humor just as easily. "He looked
like the Fonz for about three weeks," Mr. Brennan
recalled. And he could keep a secret. "I found out about
all these little pranks after the fact," said his mother,
Eileen Walsh. "And I said, `That's my Mike?' "
As a child he was fascinated with police officers and
firefighters; his favorite television show was "CHiPs."
So it was no surprise to his family when he left college
in 1995 to become a firefighter. "He had a passion for
it," Ms. Walsh said, adding that he was continually
working to improve his skills. He answered the call on
Sept. 11 with Ladder Company 4.
"I've never been in a fire," Mr. Brennan said, "but if
I were, I would want Mikey to bring me out."
Yet his hard work never took the twinkle out of the
eye of Mikey Brennan, an avid snowboarder and surfer who
lived in Woodside, Queens. About a year ago at a family
gathering, Ms. Walsh said, one of her daughters was
talking about body piercing. "Oh, please, don't get your
tongue pierced," Ms. Walsh pleaded. With that, everyone
started laughing as Mikey Brennan stuck out his tongue to
show off his brand-new stud.
"While living," Mr. Brennan said, "he lived."
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