07/03/2023
We will always remember 19 hotshots. 19 men that gave their lives to protect others. 19 heroes.
I grew up with Kevin Woyjeck and his family. Our dads played softball together in the Firefighter Olympics. We spent our childhood summers running around the green grass, carrying popsicles and laughter with us in a big red wagon from field to field. We were making memories in the middle of a ballpark surrounded by fields of heroes. You couldn’t help but notice all the little dreamers in oversized firefighter hats and shirts, looking up at their dads, with smiles on their faces and visions of fire trucks in their heads.. knowing they were growing up to be just like them one day. This wasn’t a stadium filled with regular fans cheering. No, they were so much more than fans. If you asked any of them, they were future firefighters. And that’s just what a lot of those little kids would one day become. Kevin, my brother, and many others grew up to become heroes, just like their dads.
A firefighter’s boots are some brave boots to fill, but I can’t think of anyone more capable of filling them than the kids you would once stand inside your own boots a long time ago. We often hear about firefighters that come from a long line of badges before them. If anyone knows the dangers that firefighters face, it’s the families of these brave men and women. Yet, time and time again, badges are being pinned on loved ones by loved ones. Maybe it’s in their blood. Maybe it’s the giant fire trucks they would sit in and pretend to drive. Maybe it’s knowing that their mom or dad help people. Maybe firefighter kids are born with that same desire to help others. Maybe that’s why I call our firefighters, superheroes. They aren’t just protecting their communities from the dangers of today, but they are raising brave little ones with the same dedication to serve others. By doing this they are watching over our cities for years to come.
To the families of these 19 hotshots, you are always in our prayers. Each one of them had a heart to help, and bigger than life bravery that led them to this career. A career that contributes to making our world a safer place to live. We will never forget them.