An ex-firefighter in Wurtsboro is being remembered as a hero after dying from a heart attack while performing CPR on a neighbor in cardiac arrest.

Robert Cordani passed away Saturday after responding to a call for medical help on his home scanner.

Fellow rescuers tried to revive both Cordani and his neighbor to no avail.

The 62-year-old joined the Wurtsboro Fire Department in 1993, where he remained an honorary member and often helped on fire calls. He served on the Mamakating First Aid Squad for 20 years and recently retired from the Warwick Valley School District as a security guard at both the middle and high schools.

A memorial service for Cordani is being held Saturday at St. Joseph's Church in Wurtsboro.