The Important Mission of Saving the Families of Fallen Heroes

For first responder families, losing their loved one is the ultimate tragedy. One organization provides the resources for their children to flourish.

Bobby Zane as a young boy with his father, Robert Zane Jr., during a farm visit on Long Island, N.Y. Zane Jr. was a first responder on 9/11 and died from exposure to the toxins at ground zero. Courtesy of First Responders Children's Foundation

If only Robert Zane Jr. could see his son now. Bobby has grown into a funny, persevering, and energetic young man. Bobby Zane, currently a sophomore student at Connecticut’s Sacred Heart University, has excelled in his academic pursuits and is resolved to see his dreams come true. After he graduates with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in two years, he has big plans: get into and graduate from law school, pass the bar, and practice criminal and family law in New York.

His goal? To help others just like his father, a police officer.

Like his father, Zane wants to serve in a career that makes a difference. And although for a long time he had planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the New York City Police Department (NYPD), he now hopes his new career goal will honor his father. Zane hopes he can help the most vulnerable of society seek justice.

Zane’s father’s career was sadly cut short on May 12, 2009, when he passed away due to kidney cancer. Zane was just 3 years old.