Dana Hannon lived to hunt. While his family knew he would always be there for them, they knew better than to ask favors on the first day of hunting seasons for deer, ducks and geese.
So it is no surprise that he knew how to track down a quarry. Maybe that explains why he waited until he got to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia to propose to Allison Dansen. He smuggled the ring on a string around his neck. They were to be married next fall.
Dana Hannon, 29, wanted to be a firefighter for almost as long as he wanted to hunt. After high school, he worked as a carpenter to support himself while he served as a volunteer firefighter in his hometown, Wyckoff, N.J., where he rose to the rank of captain. He got his first paying job as a firefighter in Bridgeport, Conn., where he was awarded the medal of valor for a rescue. Seven years after taking the exam, he joined the Fire Department of New York. He was with Engine Company 26.
"He was the best brother anybody could ask for," said his sister, Kyle. "Just the right mix of friend and tormentor."
New York Times
Published: December 16, 2001