New Rochelle – The New Rochelle Fire Department sponsored a pancake breakfast Jan. 9 at Weekday Nursery School to help firefighter Eric Sarrancino help pay bills following the death of his wife, said April DiPippo, a New Rochelle citizen, in an email to Talk of the Sound.
“I would like to share my appreciation and gratitude for the members of the NRFD,” DiPippo said in the email. “A few months ago, a member of the NRFD found himself in a situation that was horrible and almost hopeless. Eric Sarrancino, a NRFD member, was trying anything he could to help save the life of his wife and mother of their 4-year-old daughter from a horrific battle with cancer. After multiple failed treatments, Eric’s wife, lost her battle to cancer on Halloween 2015. Eric was left with overwhelming medical bills and his daughter was left without a mother.”
To raise money for the Sarrancino family, firefighters fed pancakes to more to more 200 people, DiPippo said.
“At this event, many witnessed a side of the FD that most of us don’t get to see,” DiPippo continued in the email. “These firefighters were working efficiently to make hundreds of pancakes. Some of these same firefighters had just spent the day before fighting a fire and saved three residents from an apartment building.”
DiPippo said the firefighters headed to the breakfast following the fire without hesitation, complaining or sleep.
“Those of us who were at the pancake breakfast were able to see that not only could these brave men save lives, but they were amazing cooks,” she said.
“I am a proud member of this New Rochelle community where we have this brotherhood that has such a strong bond and would go above and beyond for one of their brothers,” DiPippo said.