[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S2465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        REMEMBERING DANIEL NOLAN

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize 
Daniel ``Dan'' Nolan, a courageous firefighter and dedicated public 
servant, inspiring community leader, and dear friend to so many--
including myself. Reflecting the enormous loyalty and love felt for him 
across the community--indeed, our State--thousands of mourners attended 
calling hours last Friday in Wethersfield, where I joined in thanking 
his beautiful family for sharing him with us.
  Born in Hartford, CT, on July 29, 1962, Dan joined the military upon 
graduating from Windsor High School in 1980 and served in the Army 
National Guard for 38 years. Dan quickly rose to the rank of captain 
and was deployed three times--to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 
Iraq, Dan was detached to the 130th Combat Engineer Battalion from 
Puerto Rico, where he performed route clearance missions to clear 
improvised explosive devices--IEDs--from the streets of Baghdad. While 
in Afghanistan, Dan served as commander of the 246th Fire Fighting 
Detachment at Forward Operating Base--FOB--in Zabul. Dan led over 300 
outside the wire missions and was the recipient of many commendations 
including the Combat Action Badge and the Bronze Star. Always looking 
to help others, Dan also developed his own community outreach programs 
in Afghanistan to provide food, clothing, shoes, and toys to needy 
local villagers.
  Dan was a second-generation firefighter, first joining the Hartford 
Fire Department in 1984. He rose to become deputy chief of training and 
was one of the many Hartford firefighters who served at Ground Zero 
following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade 
Center. Dan is remembered with deep affection by his fellow 
firefighters for his leadership, bravery, and encyclopedic knowledge 
and expertise in the firefighting profession.
  Dan was a longstanding active member of his local community. He was a 
lifelong member of the Irish American Home Society in Glastonbury and 
was a prominent leader of the Irish History Committee and the annual 
Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade. He was also involved in countless 
charitable organizations, most notably Amy's Angels, as well as Lea's 
Foundation for Leukemia Research, where he served on the board of 
directors since its inception in 1998.
  So many of the remembrances offered by people close to Dan reflect a 
common theme: ``He was always trying to help people.'' One friend 
recalls working as a server at a local restaurant where Dan was a 
regular and always asked to put someone else's bill on his tab. A 
barber who cut Dan's hair every few months shared that he always 
arrived with advice about scholarships or access to veteran benefits. A 
neighbor remembered Dan helping her move into her new house amid frigid 
temperatures and snowfall.
  My friendship with Dan deepened when I worked closely with him during 
his years-long effort to bring his translator Mohammad and his 
Afghanistan family to the United States. Dan showed boundless, tireless 
compassion and persistence in this endeavor. Every week, or even more 
often, Dan would check on Mohammad's case. Dan refused to relent, and 
Mohammad and his family arrived in Connecticut at the end of last 
Veterans' Day weekend. Dan's determination and resolve are an enduring 
tribute to the difference that one person can make in the lives of 
others.
  Dan was truly an extraordinary man who touched so many lives so 
positively and enduringly. He was also a deeply humble man, who 
delighted in crediting others for his own contributions. His good deeds 
speak more eloquently than my words. I treasured my friendship with Dan 
and will forever admire his incomparable compassion and courage. My 
wife Cynthia and I extend our deepest sympathies to his family during 
this difficult time, particularly to his wife Jill, his stepdaughter 
Raven, his siblings and aunt, as well as his many nieces, nephews, 
cousins, and loyal friends. I hope my colleagues will join me in 
honoring Dan's life and legacy, both large and lasting.

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