Friday’s funeral for one of New York’s Bravest, Timothy Klein, honored his heroic life of service.
Loved ones and a host of firefighters in dress blues gathered in Queens, not far from where he grew up in Breezy Point.
Killed in Sunday’s Brooklyn blaze, he became the 1,157th Bravest to die in the line of duty, trying to protect the lives of others.
At the wake Thursday, acting Chief of Dept. John Hodgens said Klein was “beloved at the firehouse.” Indeed, several of his fellows badly injured in Sunday’s fire left the hospital to attend the Friday service.
One came despite two broken arms; another rolled into the Church of St. Francis de Sales in a wheelchair, his head wrapped in gauze. One more checked out of the burn unit to attend.
Klein was set to be a groomsman in Saturday’s wedding of buddy James O’Connor, who has no plans to replace him. “He’ll be remembered tomorrow and, for sure, celebrated. You can’t replace a person like that,” said Megan Ternlund, 31, a friend of the couple.
One of Klein’s favorite songs, Dierks Bentley’s “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go),” played as firefighters carried the flag-wrapped coffin out. Go free and easy, Timothy: You earned that, and indescribably more.