Community Corner

Changed Lives: Fireman Turns to Art

Capt. John Wilson tutors, paints post-9/11.

A member of the Newark Fire Department for 22 years, Capt. John Wilson never wanted to be a fireman.

But marrying the daughter of Bronx Battalion Chief William Regan changed his mind.

"He told me, 'You have to become a fireman now that you married my daughter,'" recalled Wilson, 47. "It never occurred to me to take the test. Now, here I am, 25 years later, and it's the best move I ever made."

Find out what's happening in Livingstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Wilson's career as a Newark fireman has taken shape thanks to a sheer passion for art and teaching, and through the guidance of his father-in-law Regan, whom he worked with at Ground Zero a decade ago.

Getting a job as a Newark firefighter allowed Wilson, who was born in Newark and raised in Bloomfield, to obtain a degree from duCret School of Art in 1997, where he fine-tuned his talent in painting and computer art. Concentrating on video production for a few years, Wilson teamed up with Freddy Tenore, Newark Fire Department's  photographer and graduate of New York University, to create a documentary about the 100-year history of NFD.

Find out what's happening in Livingstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The video was about to be released when 9/11 happened.

"It changed my life, seeing that. It changed my whole outlook on the fire department," said Wilson, who was one of many Newark firefighters to respond to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "I went from thinking that I knew what I was doing, to knowing that I didn't."

At the time, Regan was 69 years old and had retired from the FDNY in 1995, yet he suited up and headed to Ground Zero a day after the attacks to command Wilson and a team of Newark firefighters. Regan was remembered by Newark firefighters as being well-liked and respected. He never cursed and attended church every morning, according to Wilson.

Regan, who had at one time in his life held multiple jobs to support his seven children, was a hard worker even during retirement; he worked free of charge at the FDNY counseling unit, providing support to firemen affected by 9/11, Wilson said.

"It's not so much what he told me, more of what he did," said Wilson of Regan, who died in 2006 of pancreatic cancer. "He led by example. I wanted to be like him."

In April 2002, Wilson said he "went back to the drawing board," and hit the books to study for promotion to captain, a rank he holds today. He streamed study material onto his iPod to listen to while driving, a technique he eventually shared with firemen also studying for promotion. To date, Wilson estimated he's helped 25-35 men get promoted through his organization, iPrep Promotions, which provides firemen with video tutorials and audio lessons. He hopes to help 100 men get promoted before he retires.

"I find that when I'm forced to help people ... I'm forcing myself to study. I get it quicker," said Wilson, who recently took the promotional exam to become a chief.

He added: "(Now) I lead by example. I do this so my kids will chase their dreams." Wilson, who resides in Montville, has two sons, ages 22 and 18, and a daughter, 16.

Besides being a "24/7 mentor," Wilson paints in his free time. Some of his most poignant pieces include "My Hero" and "Responding," which capture the departure and arrival of NFD to Ground Zero, respectively. Wilson's current project involves painting an entire room inside Newark's Engine 28 in the North Ward. The wall-to-wall design, which began mid-summer, will be a tribute to NFD and the people who have inspired Wilson throughout his career.

"The next year or so in that fire house, I'm going to be putting all my memories on that wall," said Wilson.

Wilson, who wears Regan's helmet to this day in his honor, hopes to soon pass it down to his 22-year-old son, Edward William Wilson, who is named after Regan. Edward Wilson has recently taken the civil service exam in hopes of following in his father's footsteps and becoming a Newark fireman.

"You know the Jimmy Buffett song, 'Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, and I learned much from both of their styles,'" said Wilson, reciting "Son of a Son of a Sailor" lyrics. "That's what I do in my life, I try to learn from everybody. I try to teach people through my art where I came from."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here