City Council Meeting January 17, 2018
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Michael Helm and his twin brother Raymond were born on April 17,1962, to parents Ray and Joanne, in Santa Clara, California; and
WHEREAS, When Michael was six weeks old, the family came to live in Chicago to be near his grandparents, Harold and Dorothy; and
WHEREAS, Soon after, Michael had a younger brother, William; and
WHEREAS, Michael's family lived on the north side of Chicago and Michael attended St. Ita's grammar school and graduated in 1976; and
WHEREAS, Michael went to St. Patrick High School where he excelled in sports and enjoyed playing football and running track, and graduated in 1980; and
WHEREAS, In 1982, he met Jane Bordes and after dating a few years, they married in 1986 and had a son, Danny, who became the light of his life and still is today; and
WHEREAS, Michael worked for the State of Illinois until the letter he was hoping to receive arrived telling him he made the list to be a Chicago firefighter, which he accepted without hesitation and entered the fire academy in 1988; and
WHEREAS, Michael passed the rigorous requirements ofthe fire academy and was assigned to Engine 108 on Milwaukee Avenue where he spent his entire career of 29 years; and
WHEREAS, Michael, thankfully, was never injured during all his years on the job fighting fires and serving the citizens of Chicago and never missed a day of work; and
WHEREAS, In January of 2009, Michael was awarded a certificate of recognition by Mayor Daley for his valiant effort and courageous act of heroism after Michael and nine other firefighters saved the lives of many children and adults who were trapped in a multi-story burning building on the 5600 block of North Elston in November 2008; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, Michael felt he was fortunate to be able to live his dream of being a firefighter and felt it was time to step down and let someone else live theirs and made the decision to take early retirement at the age of 55 and in No...
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