My Accidental Mentor

The mentor who has had the greatest impact on my life was a New York City Firefighter. He never worked on Wall Street, he did not go to college, and to be honest, he was not a stellar high school student either. He spoke very few words during our mentorship. He has always been a man of action and very few words.

The mentor who has had the greatest impact on my life was a New York City Firefighter. He never worked on Wall Street, he did not go to college, and to be honest, he was not a stellar high school student either. He spoke very few words during our mentorship. He has always been a man of action and very few words.

For many years, I was completely unaware of his leadership skills and courage. He did not speak of the things he experienced or tragedies he witnessed. He lost friends and fellow firefighters to “the job” during his 27 years in the FDNY. 

Through it all, he was always leading the way to “clear a structure” and relay the plan of attack for the other first responders to the scene after the 21st Battalion. Jerry had the good fortune to be Chief's Aid for one of New York’s bravest, Tom Fawcett. As a kid that watched far too many cartoons, I loved the running joke about Tom & Jerry.  Unlike Tom & Jerry the cartoon, Tom and Jerry the firefighters were fiercely loyal to each other and the lives that depended on them.

I learned from another firefighter in the 21st Battalion how Tom and Jerry were remembered during their time together. He said that at every fire, Tom and Jerry would always be the first to go into the fire. They would charge ahead to assess the situation, identify potential risks, designate primary and secondary exits and make sure the rest of the firefighters were fully aware of the dangers ahead of them.

Tom and Jerry would turn their attention to educate additional responders who supported the 21st Battalion and treated victims to the best of their abilities. They did not shy away from the inherent risks, and they led by example. They did not sit back and bark orders. They assessed situations firsthand and taught their peers everything they could to help them.

It was shortly after I learned about Tom and Jerry’s inspiring leadership that Band of Brothers became a popular HBO mini-series. If you are not familiar with Band of Brothers, it’s a story about the people and events leading up to the Allies’ success on V Day, told from the perspective of  Easy Company, a regiment of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division during World War II.

Do yourself a favor and binge watch all ten episodes in the mini-series. Band of Brothers largely focused on Commander Dick Winters, the penultimate leader. He led by example and never asked one of his soldiers to do something that he would not or did not already do.

It was this wartime drama that helped me to finally understand what drove Jerry’s resolve, leadership and bravery. Soldiers, police and firefighters put their lives on the line for other people every day; they sacrifice their safety to save others. They don’t get paid bonuses for their actions and very few are recognized for the inspirational deeds they perform.

My mentor is my father, Jerry Nugent, who instilled in me a deep desire to lead by example, be honest to a fault and take care of others. Thanks to him, I find inspiration every day in the leadership and bravery evidenced by our military, firefighters, police and anyone who looks out for others. 

Mike Nugent
Managing Director