Olsen, Eric

Olsen, Eric
Eric Olsen, Lad.15STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Firefighter Eric Taube Olsen was the kind of good-natured person who created harmony around him by accepting people as they are. “In the firehouse, he always brought the guys together. He was able to coalesce the group into a team,” said his father, Taube Olsen. The 41-year-old resident of Eltingville, who is among the missing in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, was described by his family as “pure and child-like.” They said he saw the good in everybody. “He was somebody you looked up to. He was always smiling, joking and enjoying life,” said his brother, Kenneth. “He led by example.” Born in Brooklyn but carried out of the hospital to Griggstown, N.J., he moved to Tonawanda, N.Y., in 1966, to Annadale in 1967 and to Great Kills in 1992. Mr. Olsen settled in Eltingville after his wife, the former Kathleen Brennan, died in 1994. A graduate of Tottenville High School, Mr. Olsen joined the Fire Department 11 years ago and stayed with Ladder Co. 15, Manhattan, for his entire career. Although he had just been relieved from duty on the morning of Sept. 11, Mr. Olsen felt obliged to join his company and respond to the burning World Trade Center. His family said he was last seen entering Tower 1 only 10 minutes before it collapsed. “His first love was being a fireman — after that he loved being a carpenter,” said his mother, Barbara Olsen. Mr. Olsen loved building things, and especially enjoyed home improvement projects. His father, who taught him everything when he was just a kid, said that when it came to woodworking or construction, Mr. Olsen could “conquer any medium.” “He also had an artistic touch and enjoyed air-brush painting and working with stained glass,” said his father. Mr. Olsen, who attended Polytechnic University in Brooklyn, loved to collect classic cars and work with engines. “He owned several classics, including a 1965 Ford fire engine and pickup trucks from the ’70s,” said his father. “He lived every man’s dream — a collection of antique cars to work on.” Mr. Olsen’s father said his son was a “natural athlete” and excelled at basketball, baseball and skiing. “He grew up to become the kind of man any parent would be proud to have as a son,” said his father. “He got along with everybody.” “He was good at anything he did,” said his mother. “He was just so loving and caring to everybody. He’d do anything for anybody.” Mr. Olsen was member of the Fire Department Vikings Association. In addition to his parents, Barbara and Taube, and his brother, Kenneth, surviving are two more brothers, Clifford and Todd, and his maternal grandmother, Dagmar Salvesen.
https://www.silive.com/september-11/2010/09/eric_olsen_41_firefighter_love.html