December 01, 2004
Sniper fire kills FDNY Firefighter in Iraq
BY MAKI BECKER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Brian Grant in January 2001 photo. Army private, 31, died last week in Iraq.
"The war in Iraq claimed the life of another member of the FDNY family over the holiday weekend.
U.S. Army Pvt. Brian Grant, the 31-year-old son of a retired Staten Island firefighter, was killed Friday when he came under sniper attack in the city of Ramadi.
Grant enlisted in the Army last February "because of all the people that were killed on 9/11," his father, John Grant, said yesterday.
"He wanted to go do the right thing," said John Grant, 70, an Army veteran who served 24 years in the FDNY before retiring in 1982. "He was very patriotic."
Brian Grant's family was stunned when he suddenly enlisted, but understood his decision.
One of his brothers is a city firefighter, another is an NYPD officer and a third is in the Army Reserves. Brian Grant's father said his fourth son "wanted to serve one way or another."
"He did it to make it a better place here for us," said his older sister, Maureen Grant. "He did it for everybody back here."
Brian Grant was born and reared on Staten Island and moved to Dallas. He was working as a sales manager for Cintas commercial uniform company when he decided to enlist. He originally was deployed to South Korea but got new orders to go to Iraq in August.
Always good-natured, he sent home letters from Iraq filled with upbeat messages and funny stories about pesky sand fleas. "He always kept his spirits up," his mother, Carol Grant, said.
"He would say, 'Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. I'll be okay,'" his sister said.
After he was felled by a sniper's bullet, two Army officers arrived at his parents' door in Florida and told them the horrible news. "As soon as I saw the uniforms, I knew," John Grant said.
The family plans to hold his funeral services on Staten Island and then bury him in Arlington National Cemetery.
"He was only in, like, nine months," his father said."
Originally published on December 1, 2004
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Brian Grant in January 2001 photo. Army private, 31, died last week in Iraq.
"The war in Iraq claimed the life of another member of the FDNY family over the holiday weekend.
U.S. Army Pvt. Brian Grant, the 31-year-old son of a retired Staten Island firefighter, was killed Friday when he came under sniper attack in the city of Ramadi.
Grant enlisted in the Army last February "because of all the people that were killed on 9/11," his father, John Grant, said yesterday.
"He wanted to go do the right thing," said John Grant, 70, an Army veteran who served 24 years in the FDNY before retiring in 1982. "He was very patriotic."
Brian Grant's family was stunned when he suddenly enlisted, but understood his decision.
One of his brothers is a city firefighter, another is an NYPD officer and a third is in the Army Reserves. Brian Grant's father said his fourth son "wanted to serve one way or another."
"He did it to make it a better place here for us," said his older sister, Maureen Grant. "He did it for everybody back here."
Brian Grant was born and reared on Staten Island and moved to Dallas. He was working as a sales manager for Cintas commercial uniform company when he decided to enlist. He originally was deployed to South Korea but got new orders to go to Iraq in August.
Always good-natured, he sent home letters from Iraq filled with upbeat messages and funny stories about pesky sand fleas. "He always kept his spirits up," his mother, Carol Grant, said.
"He would say, 'Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. I'll be okay,'" his sister said.
After he was felled by a sniper's bullet, two Army officers arrived at his parents' door in Florida and told them the horrible news. "As soon as I saw the uniforms, I knew," John Grant said.
The family plans to hold his funeral services on Staten Island and then bury him in Arlington National Cemetery.
"He was only in, like, nine months," his father said."
Originally published on December 1, 2004
