For the second day in a row, firefighters gathered to mourn the loss of one of their own who died in the line of duty. A veteran FDNY firefighter from Yaphank was laid to rest Saturday.

Raindrops fell outside St. Mark's Church in Islip like thousands of tears at the funeral of Lieutenant Howard Carpluk. The 43-year-old firefighter was killed last week, along with rookie firefighter Michael Reilly, when the floor collapsed during a fire in the Bronx.

Thousands of firefighters listened as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke of Carpluk. He was remembered as a family man and a mentor who liked to play pranks but also took younger firefighters under his wing. The most touching words came from Carpluk?s wife who said how her husband touched so many lives.

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