James Giberson always wanted three daughters. He made sure his wife, the former Susan Nordgaard, knew it when they were dating in the early 1980s. The couple married in 1984, and by 1992, he had his wish -- and they were his truest joys.
The girls, Erika, Kari, and Sara, inherited their swimming prowess from both their parents, and Mr. Giberson always accompanied them as they swam competitively throughout the Tri-state area. He often missed golf or fishing outings with his buddies to spend the day swimming with his girls, or cheering them on at a meet.
For Mr. Giberson nothing came before them, and all of his friends knew it.
The Huguenot resident observed his 20th anniversary with Ladder 35 in Manhattan on Sept. 5, only days before the Trade Center attacks. He was last seen entering Tower 2. It collapsed a short time later, and Mr. Giberson remains among the missing firefighters.
Mr. Giberson had spent the previous Saturday with his daughters at the Great Kills Swim Club, where he was on the board of directors. It was the last weekend the pool was open for the season, and Mrs. Giberson is especially grateful the girls spent that time with their father. "He was very involved in their swimming," she said. "The girls' swimming achievements brought him so much pride and joy."
A novice golfer, Mr. Giberson played at several charity events, one for the last 10 years with his fellow firefighter, Michael Kotula, also of Ladder 35. Mr. Kotula played last with his friend on Mr. Giberson's 20th anniversary.
"He was a happy guy and he loved the game, but he wasn't really good at it," Mr. Kotula said of his friend. "His handicap was that his hands were so big, they almost took up the whole club. He had to get extra long grips. If he grabbed you with one hand, you weren't getting away.
"But what made him happiest was spending time with his girls," he added.
Mr. Kotula also gave into his friend's request to join him on a day of fishing this past summer.
"I think is was the quiet and calm nature of fishing that he liked," he said. "As opposed to the hustle and bustle of his other work."
Mr. Kotula, who had worked with Mr. Giberson at Ladder 35 for the last 19 years, recently moved to the South Shore, where he was closer to his buddy.
"Jimmy and I spent a lot of time together, especially the last few years. My kids are older, but we talked about certain situations he was starting to experience as the his girls grew up," he said.
Mr. Giberson was also a talented wallpaper hanger, something he did on the side, according to Mr. Kotula. "I tried to help him work on my home once and he told me the only way I could help him was to get out of his way," he said. "He had the job done in a couple of hours."
Mr. Kotula said Mr. Giberson probably helped most, if not all, of his firefighting brothers the same way, and never accepted a dime. "I tried to pay him once, but he just tore up the check," Mr. Kotula said.
A lifelong Islander, Mr. Giberson was a dedicated athlete. He played for the Mid-Island Little League as a boy, and spent many years in the Staten Island Touch Tackle League -- the way he met his wife. She had been dragged to a game by a friend, and met her future husband for the first time in an after-game celebration in the team's sponsoring restaurant.
He was also active in FDNY's softball league.
"The Fire Department was a great part of his life," said Mrs. Giberson. "He never wanted to leave Ladder 35 or his friends there. He did talk about retiring, not unusual after 20 years of service, but I don't think it would've been soon."
Mr. Giberson was born in a hospital in the Bronx, although his family lived in Castleton Corners, where he spent most of his life. He and his wife moved to Bulls Head after their marriage, before relocating to Huguenot.
The Susan Wagner High School graduate had been a Boy Scout for many years, was a member of the Order of the Arrow and became an Eagle Scout in 1975.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, Great Kills.
Mr. Giberson enjoyed gardening, and never tired of planting his favorite annual flowers, especially impatiens.
According to his wife, Mr. Giberson was also a great cook. His daughters loved his chicken parmagiana, but chicken cordon bleu was one of his specialties. "Nobody made it like him," she said.
He also was an independent guy, something Mrs. Giberson attributes to his mother, Geraldine, who died three years ago.
"He knew how to take care of himself in every way," she said. "He was just devastated when (his mother) died. She was so proud of his work, and she always made sure that the whole family got together."
Staten Island Advance, 2001