Saint Mychal Judge or Saint Mychal the Martyr

Fallen Hero’s Hometown and State: Born in Brooklyn, NY. Lived in Manhattan, NY at time of death.

Branch of Service: New York Fire Department

Rank: Chaplain

Father Mychal rushed to Ground Zero when he heard of the attacks on the Towers. He was in the North Tower praying over the dead and injured. When the South Tower fell, he was killed by debris. Shortly after his death, a NYPD lieutenant found Judge’s body. He was the first identified victim and labeled “Victim 0001.” He was canonized in the Catholic Church in 2002 as Saint Mychal the Martyr.

Even before his death, many considered Judge to be a living saint for his extraordinary works of charity and his deep spirituality. While praying, he would sometimes “become so lost in God, as if lost in a trance, that he’d be shocked to find several hours had passed.” Judge achieved an “extraordinary degree of union with the divine. We knew we were dealing with someone directly in line with God.”

Judge was also well known in the city for ministering to the homeless, the hungry, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, the sick, injured, grieving, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and those alienated by the Church and society.

Age: 68

Date of Death: September 11, 2001