The FDNY Foundation has set up a fund for the young children of fallen firefighter Michael Davidson, who died while battling a basement fire in Harlem.
The Firefighter Michael Davidson’s Children’s Educational Fund was set up last week after Davidson, 37, was separated from other firefighters as he battled the blaze that broke out at about 11 p.m. on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear how much had been raised by the fund.
Davidson was found unconscious in the basement and ultimately died of smoke inhalation, authorities have said. He was laid to rest following a funeral at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, during which Mayor Bill de Blasio eulogized that Davidson was “a hero of the highest order.”
The building, on St. Nicholas Avenue, was being used by the film crew of “Motherless Brooklyn,” a period crime drama directed by and starring Edward Norton.
On March 24, Norton shared a link to the fund on his Instagram page.
“I have learned that @FDNYFoundation has already set up a dedicated scholarship fund for the 4 children of Firefighter Michael Davidson 100% of funds for education costs for this brave man’s children,” he wrote. “I can’t think of a better way to honor his sacrifice.”
Earlier this week, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Congress included a new bill, the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act, as part of the recently passed spending package. The bill would provide scholarships for the children of fallen first responders, he said.
“Any firefighter, police officer or EMT who dies in the line of duty, their kids will get full scholarships to whatever college they go to,” Schumer said at an unrelated news conference on Sunday. “And so that will apply to the four Davidson children. It will be little solace to them or their mom on a day like today, but in the future it will definitely help them out.”
