Zachary Anthony was known for being “larger than life,” according to his aunt, Beth Thompson of Philadelphia.

Anthony, 29, was one of two York city firefighters killed in the line of duty on Thursday.

According to the York Fire Department, Anthony and fellow firefighter, Ivan Flanscha, were both trapped when a four-story building collapsed on the fire crew while they were looking for the source of the fire.

Two additional firefighters, Erik Swanson and Assistant Chief Greg Altland, were injured as well. Both Altland and Swanson are expected to recover from their injuries.

Anthony, a 2007 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School, attended Florida State Fire School, where he graduated in 2008.

His aunt, Sharon Solt, said, “Zach was a junior firefighter at Kunkletown Fire Company from the time he was 15 or 16. He was always helping everybody.”

Polk Volunteer Fire Company Chief Billy Tippett remembers that Anthony always had a smile on his face and tried to see the best in everything.

Tippett said,“I remember clearly that he always wanted to be a paid career firefighter and he got that in York.”

Solt said that Anthony had just married last November.

“He and Brooke went down to the Keys and got married,” Solt said.

Anthony’s cousin, Joshua Treible of Cape Coral, Florida, lived with him for awhile in his childhood home. They grew up together. He said that he had  only met Brooke a few times, but that her being so different from his cousin was what made them so good as a couple.

“Brooke seemed like she was the opposite of Zach,” Treible said. “And that is what made them complete. One liked rock and roll, one liked country music, a city girl and a flat-out country boy. They were great together.”

“He was adventurous and gallant and he would go out of his way to help people,” Solt said.

Solt said her nephew loved hunting and fishing and was a licensed minister who had performed a number of weddings.

Treible, remembers his big heart and incredible imagination.

“He would always come by and help me with anything I needed,” said his grandmother, Virginia Anthony.

She added that as a teenager her grandson had volunteered at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm in Stroudsburg.

“He got his father involved and he started doing blacksmithing there,” Solt explained. “Now his father does demonstrations at the West End Fair, and Zach would help him. He even made some tin ornaments for the tree.”

Anthony was a son of Ray and Karen Anthony of Kunkletown. He had two brothers, Marc of Stroudsburg and Samuel of Virginia.

He leaves behind his wife, Brooke (Hoffman), and his aunts and uncles and many loving cousins.