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 Excerpts from Rosemary Cain’s Eulogy for her son
George C. Cain, a hero, a friend to all who met him, our gift from G-d. George loved his life and made the most of his life. He was loyal and honorable, inquisitive, trustworthy, dependable and loving. He saw the best in most situations and made the most of every day. He drove himself with strength and determination. Was true to himself in every way.
He left behind a legacy of love and laughter. George radiated happiness. His easy-going demeanor was an asset to his profession. He was able to handle the most difficult situation in a calm, confidant manner . He loved his job and he loved his brother firefighters. The intensity of his work and the fellowship of his partners created an incomparable work environment.
He appreciated the wondrous gift of nature G-d has given us. He loved to camp out under the stars and enjoy the beauty of the sunrise. The simple things in life were his greatest pleasures. But most of all he loved his family. He is truly our hero.
His laughter still rings in our hearts, his smile still shines so bright, his spirit will strengthen us forever. Thank you G-d for the wondrous gift to our lives- thank you G-d for our George.
George Cain, outdoorsman and friend
by Carolyn James, Massapequa Post
George C. Cain had a wide circle of friends and was as comfortable spending time with them at a party or restaurant as he was climbing a mountain in Colorado all alone.
"He had a lot of friends and was a wonderful friend himself, but he didn’t need friends," said his mother Rosemary Cain of Massapequa. "He was as much at peace with himself in a group as he was when he was alone."
Peace is something that Rosemary Cain thinks a lot about these days as the family mourns the death but celebrates the life of her son George, a New York City Firefighter who was killed in what Rosemary Cain calls the "dastardly" act of those terrorists who flew two hijacked planes into the World Trade Center September 11.
George C. Cain was just a month old when his family moved to Massapequa. He attended Fairfield Elementary School and Massapequa High School, graduating with the class of 1984. He was 35 years old.
Following high school, he became interested in carpentry and became quite a master, said his mother. "He spent a few years in Colorado building log houses there and was very happy," she said.
Colorado offered Cain not only the opportunity to apply his craft but also to enjoy the out of doors. He loved golf, skiing, hiking, canoeing and the solitary beauty they all afforded him.
"He was quiet growing up and I often think of the many times he and his friends would be sitting at the table in our house," said Rosemary Cain. "I would be in my bedroom and I could hear them laughing and having a good time together. I am grateful now for those precious memories."
George stayed in Colorado until 1994 when his name came up on the list for the fire Department. He was a member of the East 29 Street house, Tower Ladder 7. He was among seven the House lost on September 11.
George was a six foot two, lean and strong from exercise and jogging. He completed the New York City Marathon in 1999, and was planning to run in this year’s race. A friend ran in his place, a tribute to a man who would have done almost anything for a friend himself.
Going through some of his personal papers, Mrs. Cain found his entry form from to the '99 marathon, along with an application for a photo of him at the finish line, a photo he had never purchased.
"I called the company and they told me that since it was two years ago, they weren’t sure they could get the photo," said Mrs. Cain. "When I explained the situation to them, they managed to track it down and mailed it to me. I am very grateful for that."
The photo arrived in early November and shows a beaming George Cain with arms extended going over the finish line.
Also tucked in between George Cain’s personal papers was a hand-written note to himself. It was on a piece of torn envelope and said simply: I’m less worried about dying than I am about not living."
"I don’t know if he heard or read that somewhere, but I do know that it was important enough for him to have written it down," said his mother, who has the note now covered in plastic for safe keeping. "I think it really expresses the way he lived. He never put off anything he wanted to do, and enjoyed every minute of his life."
In some ways she believes that is why her son never married. "He knew himself, and knew he could not live the kind of life he wanted and still be true to someone else. He would not have wanted to violate that kind of commitment, but he also wanted to be true to himself," she said.
On Monday night, September 10, George Cain had dinner at the firehouse with his sister Erin. They talked and laughed and shared a wonderful few hours together, she said, something Rosemary Cain finds comforting.
Comfort these days also comes to Rosemary Cain knowing that her son was happy with the life he made for himself, though short. He had a wonderful circle of friends and an extended family in the Fire Department, a family that now reaches out to her and her children as they struggle through the pain of loss. "We are all part of that wonderful family and there is nothing like it in the world," she said.
In addition to his mother, and his sister Erin Cain of Deep River, Connecticut, George Cain is survived by his sister Nancy Nee and her husband Terence of Holbrook and his brother Danny of Massapequa. His father Daniel of Croton, New York also survives him as do his nephews Christopher and Conor, his godson, his niece Meaghan and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial service for George Cain was held November 2 at St. William the Abbot R. C. Church, Seaford. More than 1,000 people attended, a great tribute to her son, said Rosemary Cain.
Over the first few days and weeks after September 11, Rosemary Cain thought about her son and how strong he was. She held out hope that he was "tucked away" safely in some cavern beneath the wreckage and that he would be found alive, she said. But, as time went on, she chose to accept his fate.
"When I realized he had not survived, I did not want to think of him any longer in that cavern," she said. "I wanted to think of him with his brother firefighters, happy and in heaven."
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 County To Honor Fallen Firefighter Lost On 9/11
Bureau of Emergency Services Facility plans presented to Legislature’s Physical Services Committee
by Maria Theodore Leiter
Putnam County is honoring fallen member of the New York Fire Department, George C. Cain, by naming a trail in the Walter G. Merritt Conservation Area after him. Cain, a resident of Patterson, was an avid outdoorsman. He lost his life on September 11 in the World Trade Center disaster.
At a meeting of the Physical Services Committee on November 20, members approved a resolution for the George C. Cain FDNY Memorial Trail. George Michaud, Director of Real Property Taxes, advised that there would be a memorial service for Cain on December 9 at 1:00 PM at the Merritt Conservation Area. Members of the FDNY and local Fire Departments have been invited to attend.
Firefighters Memorial, monument to courage and selflessness
www.talkingproud.com
October 5, 2003
Conceived as a tribute to America's fire service, the National Fallen Firefighters' Memorial is one of this country's most beautiful monuments to courage and unselfish service. It is a symbol of honor for those who carry on the tradition of service to their communities.
The highlight of the Memorial is a sculptured bronze Maltese Cross. Throughout the centuries, the Maltese Cross has been adopted as a symbol by groups who provide aid in times of distress. An eternal flame burns at the base of the cairn, representing the spirit of the firefighter—past, present, and future.
A plaza in the shape of a Maltese Cross surrounds the Memorial. Plaques listing the names of firefighters killed in service to their communities since 1981 encircle the plaza. The area is framed on 2 sides by a 6-foot stone wall which dates back more than 100 years.
 Rosemary Cain was at the memorial to honor her son George C. Cain, a New York City firefighter who was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001.
Photo credit Cain and Cauley: Grant L. Gursky,
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