Lt. Stephen Harrell, Bat.7 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Stephen Harrell was once so moved by the funeral of a fellow firefighter that he wrote a song about it. The lyrics told of the friends and family the fireman left behind. In a sad twist of fate, the song now pertains to his own family. As the lieutenant on duty at Ladder Co. 10, located across the street from the World Trade Center, Mr. Harrell was one of the first firefighters to respond to the disaster. He was last seen between the 30th and 40th floors of Tower 1. His brother, Lt. Harvey Harrell of Rescue. Co. 5 in Concord, also died at the World Trade Center. Mr. Harrell’s family came first, but he had two other loves — firefighting and music. He studied the subject at the College of Staten Island, could play a multitude of instruments by ear, and decorated his home in Warwick, N.Y., with three pianos. He recorded many of his songs himself, but dreamed of having his work recorded professionally. Those songs, once a way for the man from Midland Beach to show his emotions, serve as a catharsis for his wife, the former Meghan Truppa, and daughter, Holly Rae. “Having a part of him, even if it is just his voice, really helps,” Mrs. Harrell said. “It will help to carry on his memory for our daughter. It gives me something tangible to hold on to.”
