"THEY GAVE UP THEIR TOMORROWS, SO THAT WE MIGHT HAVE OURS . . ."
At this time we pay tribute to the "heroic-19" with brief introductions.
Andrew Ashcraft, one of the fallen firefighters, texted his wife while they hiked toward the flames. Among the "I Love You's" and "I Miss You's" that they exchanged, he also texted her this photograph he took of the crew heading toward the last fire they would ever fight.
|
Andrew Ashcraft, age 29, was the father of four children. His tearful wife said, "They died heroes." The devastated wife said that her husband earned the title of "Rookie of the Year" from the Hotshots in 2011. He had a text message conversation with her while he and his fellow Hotshots were heading into the fire.
Robert Caldwell, age 23, was described by his friends at "the smart one with a good sense of humor. He was one of the smart guys in the crew who could get the weather, and figure out the mathematics. It was just natural for him." His intelligence and know-how got him appointed as the squad boss. He had just gotten married and had a five-year-old son.
Travis Carter, age 31, was described as "the strongest one out of the crew – but also the most humble." Travis had a wife, Krista, and two children, ages 6, and 3. His wife recalled how the two met while she was working at a cosmetics counter of a department store. "He just came up and talked to me. Everybody said it wasn't like him because he was incredibly shy. He still did not have an answer as to why he did it, to this day."
Dustin DeFord, age 24, "Listened very well, was very respectful and had a dry sense of humor." This was his first fire season after joining the "Hotshot" crew.
Chris MacKenzie, age 30, was an avid snowboarder, and grew up in California's San Jacinto Valley. He followed his father into the fire service. He had just completed a certification process and was about to be promoted.
Eric Marsh, age 43, became hooked on firefighting while studying biology at Arizona State University. He was the superintendent of the Hotshot crew and the oldest of the 19 who died. Eric was married, but had no children.
Grant McKee, age 21, loved to give things away. His grandmother said "Even as a child, I'd ask him where something was and he'd say, `Oh my friend liked it.' And sometimes it really cost a lot!" Grant was training to be a paramedic. He is the cousin of Robert Caldwell, who was also killed on this fateful day.
Sean Misner, age 26, leaves behind a wife who was seven months pregnant at the time of his death. In high school, Sean played varsity football and participated in the school's sports medicine program where he wrapped sprained ankles and took care of sidelined athletes.
Scott Norris, age 28, was described by friends as "A model of a young, ideal American gentleman." Several said that Scott's life and tragic death inspired them to live a more meaningful life.
Wade Parker, age 22, was a second-generation firefighter. He had just joined the Hotshots team. His father works for the Chino Valley (California) Fire Department. He was described as excited about being a part of the Hotshot crew.
John Percin, Jr., age 24, loved baseball, and had an unforgettable laugh. In his aunt's eyes, he was, simply "an amazing young man." Friends described him as being the strongest and bravest young man they had ever met.
Anthony Rose, age 23, was one of the younger victims. He grew up in Wisconsin and previously worked as a firefighter in nearby Crown King before moving on to become a Hotshot. He was described at the kind of guy whose smile lit up the whole room and everyone would just rally around him. One friend said, "He loved what he was doing, and that brings me some peace of heart."
Jesse Steed, age 36, is remembered by his colleagues as a joker. "He was a character. If you look at all the old photos of him, he was always doing things to make people laugh." Jesse was one of the older members of the crew. His brother, who is a police officer, said that Jesse "always put his life on the line for people he knew he would never meet."
Joe Thurston, age 32, was described as "Daring and Determined." "His friends said "he had all the qualities that a firefighter would need to possess. He was service-oriented, very caring and willing to do some things that many others would have said, `I don't want to get involved."
Travis Turbyfill, age 27, was described by friends as a "big, huge Marine." He was known as "Turby" among crewmembers. He leaves two daughters with reddish blonde curly hair who loved their dad a great deal.
Billy Warneke, age 25, loved his job. He loved nature and was helping preserve nature. He was a four-year Marine Corps veteran who served a tour in Iraq. He and his wife were expecting their first child in December.
Clayton Whitted, age 28, was described as "being full of heart and determination. When he walked into a room, he could really light it up." He loved being a firefighter and was well respected among his crew.
Kevin Woyjeck, age 21, was ‘following in his father's footsteps' by being a firefighter. Growing up, his father's Los Angeles County fire station was always his second home. Kevin is remembered as a "joy to be around and a man who always had a smile on his face." He had been trained as an EMT and had been an Explorer, which is a mentorship-training program to become a professional firefighter.
Garret Zuppiger, age 27, loved to be funny. His humor was evident on his blog where he wrote about his grandmother's one-eyed Chihuahua, his "best hair day ever" and a hike with his mother on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. There's also photos of a tongue-in-cheek project to build a "ski-chair," in which a living room recliner was placed atop two skis. He would often say, "Every day is like a gift!!" |
