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Children and widows of the city's fallen firefighters gathered at the Toys R Us in Times Square Sunday for an annual holiday party.
The kids danced with characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, had their faces painted and rode the ferris wheel. The highlight of the celebration was an early visit by Santa Claus, who rode in on the back of a fire truck.
“It's a grateful day for us, because the Fire Department never forgets,” said Jeannie Williams, one of the widows. “They always think of us and the children.”
The 50th annual holiday party was hosted by the Uniformed Firefighters Association, and nearly 1,000 children and about 300 widows attended.
“It’s a great time for the families of fallen fighters to get together, to spend time with each other, and more importantly for firefighters to reach out and take care of these families,” said Steve Cassidy, the president of the firefighters union.
After nibbling on some snacks, the families played and shopped in the huge toy store. Toys R Us gave a $100 gift certificate to each child and parent who attended.
“We're happy they invited us to the party, because we're having fun,” said one girl.
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