An Ohio teenager has completed an ambitious Eagle Scout service project designed to pay tribute to emergency personnel and mark the solemn legacy of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Caleb Brooks, a 15-year-old sophomore at Green High School, spearheaded the construction of an outdoor religious shrine at Queen of Heaven Catholic Church to honor first responders who risk their lives in the line of duty.
Although Brooks was not yet alive during the catastrophic events of Sept. 11, 2001, he sought to create a lasting memorial on the church grounds. The timing of the project aligns with the 25th anniversary of the coordinated attacks, in which hijackers seized commercial airliners and struck the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The newly installed monument is dedicated to St. Florian, recognized in Catholic tradition as the patron saint of firefighters. The shrine was constructed on the parish’s 18½-acre campus located at 1800 Steese Road in Green. Brooks dedicated approximately 12 hours of labor to complete the build, making it the 15th devotional shrine to be established on the expansive church property.
Before beginning construction, the young scout presented his conceptual proposal directly to church leadership for formal consideration. The parish's senior pastor, the Rev. David Durkee, granted full approval for the initiative, which Brooks pursued both to satisfy his Eagle Scout service requirement and to celebrate his family's deep ties to the firefighting profession.
The historical figure honored by the shrine holds an extensive patronal portfolio within Catholic history. Beyond watching over firefighters, St. Florian is venerated as the patron of chimney sweeps, brewers, soap makers, and barrel makers, while also serving as a patron protector of Poland and the Austrian city of Linz.
According to historical records, St. Florian of Lorch was born in 250 A.D. within modern-day Austria and rose through the ranks to become a commander in the Roman Army. During his military service, he was entrusted with the responsibility of organizing, establishing, and training a specialized brigade of soldiers tasked with suppressing fires.
During the era of Emperor Diocletian, when the Roman Empire initiated widespread persecution against Christians, Florian defied imperial mandates commanding the arrest of believers and the burning of their sanctuaries. Refusing to offer sacrifices to pagan Roman deities and publicly declaring his Christian faith, Florian was subjected to beatings and condemned to burn at the stake in 304 A.D. Wary soldiers ultimately altered the execution method, drowning him in the Enns River with a heavy millstone secured around his neck.
Following his death, fellow Christians recovered Florian's remains and interred them near an Augustinian monastery in Lorch. His body was subsequently transferred to a second location where the historic St. Florian Monastery was erected. Today, his official feast day is observed annually on May 4, a date that simultaneously serves as International Firefighters Day.
The sacrifice of St. Florian reflects the broader spirit of selflessness displayed by the first responders commemorated by the shrine. During the Sept. 11 attacks, a total of 2,977 victims lost their lives, including 441 emergency personnel. Among those casualties were 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, 37 officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and 23 New York City Police Department officers.
To dedicate the new installation, Queen of Heaven Catholic Church scheduled a special Patriot Day prayer service on the afternoon of Sept. 11. Running from 4:30 to 5 p.m., the ceremony features a formal blessing of the St. Florian shrine officiated by Rev. Durkee, welcoming parishioners and community members to reflect on the sacrifices of emergency workers.
Brooks’ devotion to emergency service is heavily influenced by his father, Eric Brooks, an 18-year veteran of the Stow Fire Department. On Sept. 11, 2001, the elder Brooks was a chemical engineering student at the University of Akron, starting his second day at a co-op assignment when news of the attacks reached the Goodyear Polymer Center. Initially believing a light aircraft had struck the World Trade Center, he watched television broadcasts in disbelief as the second airliner hit the South Tower.
Although Eric was raised by a grandfather who worked as a chemical engineer, he realized his true calling lay in community service rather than engineering. Having participated in scouting during his youth and originally entering college with firefighting in mind, he joined the Stow Fire Department under the leadership of a former classmate's father, committing to remain with the department for his entire career.
Following his father’s example, Caleb Brooks has accumulated significant achievements in his own scouting journey. He has earned 31 merit badges along with four religious honors: the Alteri Dei, Pope Pius XII, Parvuli Dei, and the rare Pillars of Faith award, which is attained by only two percent of Catholic scouts nationwide. The sophomore aims to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout before the close of the calendar year.
The teenager plans to pursue a career as a professional firefighter once he finishes his education, emphasizing a desire to support individuals during moments of severe crisis. He noted that his aspiration has always been centered on aiding others and providing vital assistance on what is often the most difficult day of their lives.
Scouting maintains a prominent presence at Queen of Heaven, where Rev. Durkee—himself an Eagle Scout who attributes his priestly vocation to his own Eagle project—established Scout Troop 332 in 2002. Over the past two decades, the troop has produced 60 Eagle Scouts. Rev. Durkee expressed deep gratitude for Brooks' contribution to the parish grounds, noting the church's appreciation for emergency personnel and its close relationship with the neighboring Green Fire Department located just a minute away.
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