By Tom deignan

IT’S hard to walk the streets in the Staten Island neighborhood where I grew up without thinking about those who were killed five years ago.

Recently, I also started to wonder if firefighter Patrick Moran ever met Steve or Harvey Harrell.

Because the story of these three Irish Americans is one that shows us how, five years after September 11, 2001 the deceased heroes of that day are still making sacrifices in noble, astonishing ways.

But before I get into all that, back to New Dorp, Staten Island. The block before and the block after mine have been named for firefighters killed that day.

Locust Avenue is where Lieutenant Harvey Harrell lived for most of the 22 years he served on the FDNY. Until September 11.

Locust was eventually renamed Lieutenant Harvey Harrell Way. The street pole was adorned with green and white decorations, as well as an American flag and an Irish Tricolor. I never knew the guy, but every time I’m back to the neighborhood where my mother, sister and best friend still live, the colorful display never fails to catch my eye.

That must be why the name stuck in my mind when I heard about a Harrell benefit last month. Of course, I said to myself, that’s the guy who was from New Dorp, right?

No. This benefit was for a firefighter named Steve Harrell, born on Staten Island but who’d later moved to Warwick.

That’s when I found out that Harvey and Steve were brothers, and both of them never came out of the towers.

Five years on these stories still hurt those of us who did not know the victims, so it is still difficult to fathom what the nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers who lost two family members must feel like.

So, when I saw that the fifth annual Hangdown Harrell Memorial Jam was being held in mid-August on Staten Island, naturally I figured what sounded like a good time aimed at good memories would benefit the Harrell family or other September 11 families.

But no. Almost 500 people showed up and the proceeds went to, among other places, the Elsasser Fund, which was established in 1992 to support the families of New York City firefighters who died as “non-line of duty as active members of the FDNY.”

As the Uniformed Firefighters Association website reads, “With your help we can support the many families that do not have access to the more lucrative financial benefit packages that the families of members who have made the supreme sacrifice do. The funds are used to help with medical costs, housing and repairs and school tuitions to name a few.”

This is where firefighter Patrick Moran comes in. Moran worked for Engine 69, the so-called “Harlem Hilton,” which also houses Ladder 28 and Battalion 16.

Last year, Moran died of Lou Gehrig’s disease. He, too, is memorialized with Irish and American flags at the firehouse website.

It does make you think. What happened to the rescue workers and all the other victims on September 11, 2001, was clearly horrific.

But the sad truth is, beginning September 12, 2001, life marched on. Meaning loved ones continued to face illness, disease and accidents, as well as dangerous duties at their jobs.

The one small consolation September 11 victims had was that the nation poured out not just their love, but quite a bit of money. But those who died after — whether on the job or of a disease, as firefighter Moran did — just don’t have those resources to call upon.

Thankfully, there are people such as the Harrell family, as well as firefighter Kevin Kelly, who helped organize last month’s benefit, and understand that generosity and sacrifice is needed now almost as much as it was five years ago.

There have been calls to make September 11 a national holiday. Others, however, believe it should be a day where we all commit ourselves to performing one selfless act.

As the folks at mygooddeed.org put it, “In this way, we hope to keep alive forever, in our memories and actions, the spirit of giving and selfless service that unified our nation following the terrorist attacks.”

In helping the Moran family and others, the firefighting Harrells continue giving, even five years after they were killed.

We should all do the same.

(Contact at tomdeignan@earthlink.net.)