NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — 50-year-old Anthony DeSimone, a Lt. and 23-year veteran with the North Haven Fire Department, was laid to rest on Thursday after the services at St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Parish at St. Therese Church.
The funeral drew in hundreds of family, friends, and firefighters from across Connecticut and surrounding states.
“Lt. DeSimone, you will always be remembered as a friend, a professional, a loving husband, a devoted father, an advocate within the community, and a role model for so many,” said Chief Paul Januszewski with the North Haven Fire Dept.
Lt. DeSimone joined the department as a volunteer shortly after graduating from North Haven High School in 1991. In 2000, he became a career firefighter with the department.
“He loved being a firefighter,” Chief Januszewski said.
Januszewski and DeSimone started out together, separated by a couple of years in their time at the department. They became close friends, quickly.
“And damnit Anthony, you weren’t supposed to go like this. We were supposed to have our time to retire, sitting down, talking, reminiscing, realizing it was all worth it in the end,” Chief Januszewski said.
Lt. DeSimone died last on August 24 after fire officials said he had a medical emergency and collapsed at his home. He just got home from a 38-hour shift.
“Nobody could have predicted that later on that day, I’d be with his wife in his final moments here,” Chief Januszewski said.
On Thursday, the pews of the church were filled with firefighters, family, friends, and North Haven Little League athletes, showing support for their baseball coach.
Among the crowd sat DeSimone’s wife, and two kids.
“Pam, Anthony’s wife of 20 years, wants you all to know, I admired his charismatic personality and his bold, fun presence in the world. That presence is going to be missed by everybody in this room,” said Tom Haggarty, Local 2987 Union President and North Haven Firefighter.
It’s a room and a department that has been through this before. Last year, they lost another career firefighter, Matthias Wirtz, who happened to be Anthony’s best friend.
“We’ve been through a rough few months. And I wish I could say it’ll all get easier from here, but we know it’s not,” Chief Januszewski said.
But with the help of the community, and other departments in and outside the state, they’ll move forward, for Anthony.
“When they look out the front door of that church and they see all those firefighters, it makes a big difference. That’s what we’re here for. To support them,” said Matthew Stuart, Retired Battalion Chief, with the West Hartford Fire Dept.
DeSimone was posthumously promoted to Lt. earlier this week by the board of fire commissioners. Chief Januszewski said he was so close to getting the job…with one of the highest test scores on his team.
A scholarship fund has been opened in DeSimone’s name. In Lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations go to the Anthony A. DeSimone Children’s Education Fund at 33 Sara Circle, North Haven, CT 06473.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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