Michael Crotty Laid To Rest
Honor Guard Carrying Michael Crotty From The Church To Engine 6. picture courtesy of the Erie Times News
Hundreds of firefighters, friends and family members honored the life of fallen firefighter Michael Crotty on Saturday April 12th as he was laid to rest. A church service was held at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Harborcreek at 10:00. From there a procession of vehicles drove from the church back through Lawrence Park going past his house and then leading past the Lawrence Park fire station. Belle Valley and Kearsarge FD’s set up an arch with their aerials just down the street from the fire station for the procession to pass under. From there a drive around the training tower took place. Then they proceeded out to his final resting place at St. Gregory Cemetery in North East. Along the way several on-lookers saluted the fallen hero as he passed by. At the Harborcreek FD, members of Harborcreek, Erie, Fuller, Fairfield, Belle Valley and Edinboro FD as well as auxiliary members, Harborcreek Township officials, Emergycare personnel and others were all standing along Route 20 saluting the entire procession.
As the procession made its way closer to the cemetery they were met by over 50 pumpers, ladder trucks, rescue vehicles, tankers, ambulances and command vehicles lining both sides of Route 20. Firefighters lined the driveway again paying their respects. As the service took place at the cemetery LifeStar helicopter flew over paying their respects.
Firefighters from as far away as Mercer, Ridgeway, Chautauqua, Pittsburgh, Virginia and North Carolina made the trip to Erie for the services. After the cemetery services a wake was held at Harborcreek FD to celebrate Michaels life.