‘Calendar' Firefighter Commits Suicide

Called a "martyr" by charity calendar photographer during controversy in April, Jack Slivinski took his life Saturday

The Philadelphia firefighter reprimanded for posing shirtless in a charity calendar was found dead inside his Lawndale home Saturday.

Police say John “Jack” Slivinski committed suicide.

"The Philadelphia Fire Department has lost a son," Fire Commission Lloyd Ayers told the Inquirer. "As you may imagine, this is devastating to everybody."

Slivinski’s father, firefighter John Slivinski Sr., found his son’s body a little before 4:20 a.m. Saturday, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers told the Daily News.

The 32-year-old died of a self-inflicted gunshot. Ayers said that whether Slivinski left a suicide note is unknown.

“Jack was a kind hearted and extremely generous young man whose first instinct was always to put others first,” Bill Gault, President of Local 22, wrote in a press release. “We are all shocked and at a loss to express our extreme sadness to this terrible event.”

Slivinski had been working at Heavy Rescue 1, in one of the most highly trained positions in the Philadelphia Fire Department, until Commissioner Lloyd Ayers learned that the firefighter had posed shirtless for a “Nation’s Bravest” calendar.

The calendar featured firefighters from around the country and proceeds went to families of fallen firefighters. But Slivinski was cited for insubordination. The Commissioner said he was “selling sex” and didn’t have permission to do the shoot.

Slivinski was later given a verbal reprimand and allowed to rejoin Heavy Rescue 1.

Photographer for the calendar, Katherine Kostreva, who was vocally supportive of Slivinski after he was removed from his post, told NBC Philadelphia during the controversy that she did not understand why Commissioner Ayers reacted so extremely to Sliviniski’s participation in the charity calendar.

“Why the Commissioner has taken such a strong position against the Union's choice, and made Slivinski a martyr is unclear," Kostreva told NBC Philadelphia in April.

After Slivinski’s death, Kostreva  told NBC Philadelphia that her friend is sorely missed.

"He made me laugh," Kostreva said. "He had this instant charm about him. He was a bright intense flame that quickly burned out."

Slivinski is survived by his father, his mother, and his wife, reports the Daily News.

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