FAUSTINO APOSTOL: A Firefighter Who
Baby-Sat
When
both of his daughters-in-law became pregnant in the
spring of 1999, Faustino Apostol took a rooting interest.
"I was due a month after," said Jennifer Apostol, the
wife of Mr. Apostol's younger son, Christopher, "but
Faust said he had his money on me."
Mr. Apostol, 55, was the chief aide in Battalion 2 of
the Fire Department, with 28 years on the force; he joked
that he would quit only when the job stopped being fun.
For the last 33 years, he had been married to his high
school girlfriend. When they heard about the attacks on
the World Trade Center, his family knew that he would be
in the middle of the action.
"That's how he was," Ms. Apostol said. "When my son
was born, the hospital wouldn't even let my mother in.
Faust made up a story to sneak in. I couldn't believe he
was there. But he'd do anything for you. You didn't have
to ask. My neighbors used to ask us, 'Where'd you find a
baby sitter who also mowed the lawn?' "
.