City Mourns Honorary Firefighter Mike Carroll

Michael J. Carroll who passed away on Dec. 10, had been around the Central Fire Station for years, lending his support to everyone in the department.

Carroll was most recently honored by Revere Fire Chief Christopher P. Bright who awarded Michael, at his bedside at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, with Revere’s First Honorary Firefighter Badge (Squad #51).

Services for Carroll, 36, were held this past weekend from Vertuccio and Smith, followed by a funeral mass at the Immaculate Conception Church.  Michael had waged a seven-month battle with Congenital Heart Disease at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.

During his calling hours Carroll was adorned with firefighter patches from all over the nation.

Chief Bright said Carroll has been at the Central Fire State since he was old enough to ride his bicycle coming from his home on Cooledge Street.

“He was interested in everything, like a sponge soaking up everything he could see at the fire station,” Bright said. “He’d watch the firefighters as they did their station duties. Cleaning and fixing the equipment. He was interested in everything,” Bright said.

Michael would also follow the trucks to the scene of a fire. The someone gave him a portable radio so he could listen to the dispatchers and learn where the calls were. Then someone gave him a 35mm camera and he started taking photographs to show everyone. His fire photos were published several times over the years by the Revere Journal.

“He was always very helpful, always very thoughtful, very giving and loving type of person,” Bright said. “He really became part of our family. He always extended himself to people. He was like the ambassador of good will.”

Michael was the beloved son to John F. Carroll of Revere and the late Marna S. (Kelley) Carroll. He is the adored grandson to Jean Kelley-Martin of Revere and Joseph A. Martin. He is the devoted brother of Brian J. Carroll of Revere. He is the proud godson and nephew to Colleen C. Kelley and her husband, James Wakely of Lynn and the cherished nephew to Lance A. Kelley his wife, Diane and Donna J. Dicks and Cynthia A. Welch, all of Revere and Lorraine Brown and her late husband, Chelsea Police Sgt. Weldon Brown, Joseph Carroll and his wife, Maryann all of Chelsea, Patricia Smith of Billerica, June Carroll of Everett and the late George Carroll and his late wife, Janet.