Then, fulfilling his dream, he became a New York City firefighter, graduating from the Fire Academy at the top of his class in July.

On Aug. 27, he was dead. The 25-year-old was killed when a burning building collapsed on him in the Bronx.

But now he will always be remembered, at least once a year, since his name was added Tuesday to the list of greater Bridgeport firefighters killed in the line of duty.

He was honored by the group Tuesday night at a Roman Catholic Mass, the group's 24th, in St. James Church on Main Street. This year's was dedicated to him.

"Tonight we recognize those firefighters who have passed away this past year and pay humble tribute to all of the area firefighters who have made the supreme sacrifice," said Stratford Assistant Fire Chief Ellen Howley, who arranged the Mass.

"Sadly, we must add the name of Firefighter Michael C. Reilly to this list," she said.

Firefighters from Stratford, Nichols in Trumbull, Bridgeport, Westport, Fairfield, Monroe and Echo Hose in Shelton attended the Mass.

After readings from the Bible about selflessness and love, Joseph Piccirillo, chaplain of the Nichols Volunteer Fire Department in Trumbull, explained love a little further.

There are three words for love in Greek, he said.

One, "agape," is the kind that firefighters have.

"It's a self-giving love," he said. "It seeks to put others above ourselves. This type of love requires something of us."

"You have been called to lay down your lives for this," he added.

Courage, he added, "is a desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die."

Then the names of firefighters killed on the job were read and a bell was rung after each, after a firefighter placed a symbolic helmet near the altar. From June 26, 1894, to Sept. 11, 2001, 21 Bridgeport firefighters died in the line of duty. One each died in Fairfield, Long Hill and Nichols in Trumbull; and one in Shelton.

Three died in Stratford from June 4, 1966 to Aug. 27, 2006; and five in Westport from March 2, 1946, to December 2, 2000. Fifteen retired Bridgeport firefighters died last year; one from Fairfield and three from the Monroe Fire Department.

The late Alphonse Deer was one Bridgeport firefighter who was not on the list, but was remembered by his family.

Deer caught pneumonia from fighting a fire in Beardsley Park in February 1958, and later died, said his daughter-in-law, Renate Deer of Bridgeport, who attended the Mass.

Alphonse's son, Ralph, joined the Fire Department at age 27, and retired in 1997 after 30 years.

Ralph Deer's son, Charles, was sworn in as a Bridgeport firefighter in June 2006, at age 33.