A funeral was held on Tuesday for Matthias Wirtz, a 46-year-old North Haven firefighter who died last week while battling a fire at a home.
Hundreds of firefighters, family and friends gathered to honor him and attend the funeral at St. Elizabeth of Trinity Parish at St. Barnabas Church in North Haven.
The stories told highlighted the life of a man who grew up in North Haven and was a big fan of soccer who spoke fluent German and belonged to several German clubs.
He joined the North Haven Fire Department in 2000 and responded after the Sept. 11 attacks in New York.
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It was one week after those attacks, on Sept. 18, that he started dating the woman who would become his wife.
Wirtz went to the home of Barbara Cardito, said “life could end just like that,” snapped his fingers and asked her out for dinner.
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Juergen Weber, a family friend, said he and Wirtz grew up like brothers on two separate continents and he remembered his friend as a generous, respectful, funny and modest big-hearted family man and friend.
He also said Wirtz was a volunteer firefighter before firefighting became his profession.
“Matt’s journey on earth ended suddenly early morning of December 26, 2022, the moment when God said, ‘Hey, Matt, you have done enough on earth. I need you up here now,’” Weber said.
He said Wirtz died doing what he loved the most, helping people and being there for his fellow firefighters and lifelong friends.
Entombment with full departmental honors will follow in the All Saints Mausoleum. Wirtz was a graduate of Notre Dame High School in West Haven and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Haven, according to his obituary.
He was a 22-year veteran of the North Haven Fire Department, a security guard for Hopkins School in New Haven and taught future firefighters at Gateway Community College Fire Program.
North Haven Schools Closed
North Haven Public Schools are closed Tuesday for the funeral.
School officials said the fire department would be using the North Haven High School campus and some district school buses to transport people to and from the funeral services and the district’s school resource officers will be needed to provide support.
Flags Lowered
United States and state flags have been at half-staff and the governor has directed that flags return to full-staff at sunset.
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