There wasn’t a dry eye on the lawn as the Western Pennsylvania Firemen’s Convention kicked off in New Kensington with a memorial service for Eric L. Mangieri, an Arnold native and New Kensington firefighter.
Mangieri died in the line of duty while fighting a fire on Aug. 7, 1995. Thursday marked 30 years since his passing.
“Eric was a brother,” said Pamela Williams, president of Station 56-4 and its safety officer. “I was at the fire (in 1995) as was my father. I did CPR on Eric from the scene and while he was in the hospital.”
Williams led the Thursday evening memorial and renaming of the New Kensington No. 4 firehall to the Eric Lee Mangieri Fire House. She said the loss never gets easier. Williams has made it a point to never let his memory fade within the department.
“His smile, his camaraderie, his laughter,” Williams said as she listed things she’ll never forget about Mangieri
Mangieri was 25 when he died. His sister, Carrie Mangieri, was 24 and felt like she lost her other half. The now 54-year-old said her brother would’ve been humble seeing his name on the fire station.
She thinks he would’ve said, “I was just doing my job.” She said he never hesitated to give his all to his work and to other people.
“Eric had such a huge heart,” Carrie Mangieri said. “There was entrapment. I know he didn’t hesitate.”
She said the fire department honoring her brother solidifies that he’s not left behind and that his memory will live on.
New Kensington fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr., Harvest Baptist Church Pastor Dominic Cardamone and New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo spoke at the memorial to honor Eric Mangieri.
