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Fireman honored for Father's day for Jet fan/ good man (MERgED)


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Former Jets Joe Namath, Wayne Chrebet honor firefighter who became surrogate dad to late friend's kids after 9/11
By Darryl Slater/The Star-Ledger 
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on June 09, 2014 at 4:29 PM, updated June 09, 2014 at 4:51 PM
 
 
 
 
0It is Father’s Day week, and the folks over at “Good Morning America” have a neat piece on a couple former Jets stars who helped honor a New York City firefighter.

Lt. Larry Mack is not just any firefighter. After his best friend and fellow firefighter, Lt. Vinnie Halloran, died on 9/11, Mack became a surrogate father to Halloran’s six kids. Mack has two children of his own.

At the firehouse where he works Monday morning, Mack was honored with a surprise celebration on “Good Morning America” that featured a videotaped message from Joe Namath and a visit from Wayne Chrebet.

Namath, the former Jets quarterback, wished Mack a happy early Father’s Day. Mack’s kids and Halloran’s kids also attended Monday’s celebration, as did the Jets’ cheerleaders.

Mack and Halloran used to attend Jets games together. Both are longtime fans of the team. This season, their families will get to enjoy a particularly special experience at MetLife Stadium.

Chrebet, the former Jets wide receiver, told Mack that the Jets will host the two families in a luxury suite during the Sept. 22 Monday night game against the Bears. They will also get a private tour of the Jets’ facility in Florham Park from center Nick Mangold.

After Monday’s celebration for Mack, Chrebet tweeted about his experience ...

And here is a look at the video of Mack's surprise celebration ...

ABC US News | ABC Celebrity News

This was just the latest Father’s Day-related honor involving the Jets. Former running back Curtis Martin was named a 2014 Father of the Year by the National Father’s Day Council. As he received the award at a ceremony last week, he spoke about the importance of forgiving his abusive father.

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A New York City firefighter who became a surrogate dad to the children of his best friend and fellow firefighter who died on Sept. 11 was today recognized for his selflessness by the star players of his most beloved sports team, the New York Jets. ”From one dad to another, I want to wish you an early Happy Father’s Day,” former New York Jets superstar Joe Namath said to Lt. Larry Mack in a taped message that aired during a live surprise event today on “ Good Morning America.” Mack was surprised at his firehouse this morning with an ultimate tailgate party that featured New York Jets’ cheerleaders, former Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, his own two children and the six children of his late friend, Lt. Vinnie Halloran. ”I’m just blown away,” Mack said on “GMA,” which threw the tailgate party to kickoff its “Big Daddy of All Surprises” week to honor outstanding fathers. After Halloran died, Lt. Mack stepped in to help his friend’s family, who lived near his own in Putnam County, New York. He took the Halloran children camping with his own family, spent time with them on weekends and shared with them the love he and their father shared for the Jets, whose home games they attended together often. ”I love those kids like my own,” Mack said. At today’s tailgate party, Chrebet saluted Mack for his exemplary fatherhood and told him the team was throwing him the ultimate fan experience. The Jets will host Mack, his family and the Hallorans in a private luxury suite for the New York Jets game against the Chicago Bears Monday, Sept. 22. Jets’ Center Nick Mangold will also personally give the group a private tour of the team’s practice facility in Florham Park, New Jersey.

 

 

Larry Mack invented the J E T S chant. Back in the 1980s when the Jets played in Shea Stadium Larry Mack sat in the upper deck wearing a colored wig and JETS painted across his ass and he’d do the chant with Fireman Ed. I know the Jets don’t exactly have the most illustrious franchise history but its still pretty awesome to be a part of sports folklore like that. Diehard fans like Larry Mack that make sports what it is.

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