Stony Brook, N.Y. - The significance of tomorrow's football game between Stony Brook and Charleston Southern is two-fold. The Seawolves, who are tied for first in the Big South with Liberty at 2-0, take the field in the ninth annual Raymond M. Downey Heroes Classic. A scholarship endowment, golf outing, New York City fundraiser and day of honor would not be possible if it wasn't for the heroism of Ray Downey.
Chief Downey, a 39-year veteran of the FDNY, died in the line of duty while helping others escape from the World Trade Center on September 11. Downey's son, Chuck, a lieutenant with the FDNY and former Stony Brook student-athlete, was told his father was seen with another fire chief running into the collapsing south tower trying to help a man that could not move.
Ray, who was called "God" by his fellow New York firefighters, always did what he had to do.
An FDNY hockey player and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Chief Downey's legacy is one for the ages. Not only was Downey head of the Special Operations Command in New York, but also spearheaded the search-and-rescue effort after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. As Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating said at the time, "I have no doubt that he saved lives in Oklahoma City."
As much as he loved his work, Downey found particular enjoyment in watching his children in athletics. "My father never missed a game of mine," Chuck said. "He just loved being involved."
Chuck's football ability can't be understated. He still owns 15 NCAA records - all divisions - that still stand today, 23 years after his last game. He still had three touchdowns on kick returns against Trenton State, even after the team arrived 30 minutes late to a 7:00 p.m. game and warmed up for five minutes.
It was in Chuck's first year that his father, Bob LeRoy, Jack Emr and former head coach Sam Kornhauser started the Patriot Club to raise money for the football team. "My dad loved wearing his Stony Brook stuff," Chuck said. "Coach Kornhauser was great to my dad and enjoyed seeing him at games."
So when Chief Downey, who also was the team leader in responses to five hurricanes, passed away, it was Kornhauser who broached the idea of a proper tribute. "When I went to pay my respects to Chuck's family, I was blown away by all the people Ray had touched," Kornhauser said. "There were people from Oklahoma, Washington and Canada. "I, like the rest of the people there, saw him as an American hero."
It was March 26, 2002 when the Raymond M. Downey Scholarship Endowment was started. "Chuck is a great person," Kornhauser said. "He was a Kodak All-American and the ECAC Division III Player of the Year. His father was an important part of our program so it was the right thing to honor him."
The endowment, which started with $15,000, is now eight times that amount today. "Coach K and the administration have done so much for my family," Chuck said. Senior Stephen Schwicke (Bellport, N.Y.) was the Downey Endowment's first scholarship recipient, and Chuck, now a Battalion Chief, is following in his father's footsteps, as he's now President of the Touchdown Club, something his father started more than 25 years ago.
A 5K run/walk is held in his honor on Father's Day in Deer Park.
What started out as a fire department tribute to Chief Downey, continues to stretch over all of Long Island and into New York City.
Asked what his father would think about all of this, Chuck said, "My father was a modest guy. To most people, he's just known as dad. I mean I have friends who knew him just as my father; they didn't know him as a fire chief or this or that."
So when Chuck, and his mom, Rosalie, and brothers, Ray and Joey, and sisters, Marie and Kathy, watch tomorrow's game at LaValle Stadium, they'll know Ray's legacy is alive and well.
