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Jacyln Giordano remembers hanging out on a Fillow Street porch with David Fahey when they were about 8 or 10 years old growing up in Norwalk. It's one of her fondest memories of her "close childhood friend" who died in Afghanistan on Monday while serving in the U.S. Army.
Fahey, a private first class who was a member of the military police, was 23 when he died in Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
Fahey's sister, Phyliss Lee, put up a Facebook tribute to her brother Tuesday, and Giordano is one of 56 people who have signed up so far. "I will always remember David being the funny guy," said Giordano, 21, of Rollinsford, N.H. "He was always pulling pranks and joking around."
Reports of Fahey's connection to Norwalk are conflicting. The Department of Defense said Fahey was from Norwalk, but The Hartford Courant quotes Mayor Richard Moccia as saying Fahey went to school in Norwalk until seventh grade. The News-Times says Fahey was raised in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Emails to The Daily Norwalk from Dino Parton say Fahey lived in Yorktown Heights for several years before he enlisted in 2007 and that commuted to high school in Connecticut. Parton said Fahey and his family were pillars in her church, Calvary Bible Church.
Phyllis Lee confirmed that her brother did not go to public high school in Norwalk. Giordano says Phyllis is Fahey's younger sister. He is also survived by a younger brother, Nick Fahey, who lives in Westchester County, N.Y. Fahey was raised by an aunt and uncle, who are now in Dover, Del. They will receive his body Wednesday.
Giordano said she has known Fahey for almost all of her life but hadn't talked to him in a long time. Fortunately, she got the chance to have "one last conversation" with him a few weeks ago. They laughed and joked about old times, including his Backstreet Boys dance on the porch. In return, Giordano and four other girls did a Spice Girls act.
"I will always remember his prank phone calls telling people Margaret was hiding in their closet and the way he always used to say 'hey mang,'" Giordano said on Facebook. "Dave was an amazing kid, and I would do anything to be able to reminisce on the old times we spent together with him again."
Lee wrote to The Daily Norwalk, "It's such a tragedy. I can't believe it. He's in such a better place, he will always be a hero. He was greatly loved by so many and such great family support! It has been such an honor to have such an amazing brother!! He would do anything for anyone give the shirt off his back for you even if he didn't know you! He will never be forgotten and we will meet again!"
Fahey's friends, who are scattered across the region, agreed. "Dave was the best of all of us," John Gullen of Syracuse wrote on Facebook. "He brought joy and laughter to every situation and I miss him like crazy."
Katie O'Brien of Yorktown Heights said on Facebook, "Dave was one of the funniest guys I've ever known. He could brighten up any atmosphere. One of my many great memories of him was when I had my back surgery and him, Danny, and I think Stephen bought me a whole bunch of helium balloons. All the balloons said things like 'Get better soon' etc. But the one that Dave picked out said 'It's a boy!' Hahaha totally made my day and I'll never forget him."
Did you know David R. Fahey? Do you have any memories or photographs to share with us? Comment below or email reporter Nancy Chapman at nchapman@mainstreetconnect.com.
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