KENMORE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Jack Kane, a senior at Saint Joseph's Collegiate Institute, was awarded the First Responder Family Scholarship on Thursday in honor of fallen Buffalo Firefighter Jason Arno.
The Firefighter Arno Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit created to continue the legacy of Arno, awarded Kane $10,000 for his future collegiate endeavors.
"I'm really lucky to get this award," Kane said. "It's really going to help me out."
The scholarship is offered to high school seniors who are sons and daughters of first responders in Western New York.
“I think he [Arno] would be so proud,” said Michael Forero, a longtime friend of Arno. “He’d be so happy that this tragedy has turned into so many positive things.”
Kane’s father is a Buffalo firefighter with Engine 19.
“I grew up with him being a firefighter,” Kane said. “With that comes worry about him being a firefighter and what he does at work.”
Forero said he hopes this scholarship can help ease the burden on these first responder families.
“Every day the first responders here in Western New York and across the country — they put their lives on the line and their families have to make a huge sacrifice,” he said. “It can take a toll on them.”
Before his lacrosse game, Kane was surprised with the award and the outpouring of support from friends and family.
“It’s great to see them all here, and it’s great to be with them,” Kane said about his teammates. “They’re a great group of guys, and I’m really excited they can share this moment with me.”
Kane was chosen from dozens of applications, with $1,000 awards going to two other students who applied.
“Moving forward, we hope to grow the scholarship and award even more first-place scholarships,” Forero said. “Just provide the most amount of opportunities for the families of first responders.”
Kane will soon be taking his scholarship with him when he goes to play lacrosse at SUNY Maritime in New York City. He said this decision was inspired by what he sees in his father.
“I’m still figuring [it] out, but Coast Guard is my first choice,” Kane said. “I see him helping people every day, and that’s what I want to do because of him.”
