PORT ORANGE, Fla. — A nearly century-old act of bravery is bringing two families together and shining a spotlight on a Black trailblazer whose legacy continues to live on.
On June 20, 1929, a devastating fire tore through a crowded Lower East Side tenement in New York City. Among the first responders was Wesley Augustus Williams, an FDNY firefighter who would later break barriers as the department’s first Black firefighter to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant, at a time when many did not want him there.
Historic newspaper accounts show Williams rushed into the flames, rescuing around 20 people before collapsing from smoke inhalation. Among those he saved was a woman and her three children. That woman was Rachel Coffino.
Nearly a century later, Coffino’s granddaughter, Port Orange resident Cathy Guiga, is reflecting on how one man’s heroism shaped her family’s existence.
“I get the chills now just because even now it’s so cool,” she said. ”It’s so amazing that somebody’s heroics saved our whole entire family. None of us would be here.”
For generations, the Coffino family had no idea that the rescue ever happened. That changed with an unexpected email from a genealogist working with Ancestry.
“We have a story for you. Basically, that’s what she said,” Guiga recounted. ”I’m like, can this even be real?”
The email was authentic, and so was the story. It led Guiga and her family to New York City, where they were reunited with Williams’ grandson, bringing together two families forever connected by courage and Black history.
Guiga says learning about Williams’ life, and the adversity he faced as a Black firefighter in the early 20th century, made the experience even more powerful.
“His story is just amazing,” said Guiga. ”He’s a legend, an FDNY legend. And it’s just such a great story. He really faced tremendous adversity.”
The unearthing of the story through records and news clippings is part of Ancestry’s “Stories of Us” campaign, which highlights everyday Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape the nation, particularly those whose stories have long gone untold.
For Guiga, the discovery goes beyond genealogy. It is a reminder of how deeply connected people can be, often without ever knowing it.
“That’s the beauty of the story is that there are thousands and thousands of stories like this,” said Guiga. ”We’re interconnected to everyone. And we just don’t know it. And it’s just incredible.”
As Black History Month continues, the story of Wesley Augustus Williams serves as a powerful reminder that courage echoes across generations and that one act by one man can shape countless lives.
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