Cancer tops list of deaths in NC ceremony :: wral.com

On Saturday, firefighters from all over North Carolina gathered on the Nash Square von Raleigh to honor thirteen of their brothers on duty. The organizers of the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation said that the goal of the annual ceremony was to ensure that the victim is never forgotten.

“Our purpose for today is to support the families and to recognize those we have lost,” said Jeff Harkey, spokesman for the foundation.

But family and friends said that too many of the lost people were depressed by a common murderer: cancer.

“The statistics of the firefighters with cancer are amazing,” said Christy Burgess, whose husband Nathan was a firefighter in Raleigh, and lost a fight with a job -related cancer in 2023.

“He was one who said that if I can do that so that my brothers prevent someone from going this way, my calling will be and so he was faced with it,” she continued.

From 10:30 a.m., the firefighting teams surrounded the space with a car car and engines. A huge American flag was hung in the McDowell Street, in which the organizers were invoiced as a “static parade”.

The ceremony began at 1 p.m. an honorary guard, drummer and people who played the bagpipes, everyone marched into the fallen firefighters in the center of the Nash Square. Dozens of friends, family and employees of the fallen flanked the outside.

During the ceremony, the 13 names of the fallen were read, a bell and family members were presented with a single rose and an American flag. Each flag had been flown over the monument.

Firefighters who were lost to flames were among the names on this year, and a man, Tony Garrison, who died during a rescue attempt when the hurricane Helene hit the western mountains. The most common cause of death was cancer and demanded five firefighters on the list.

“Today is a really solemn day,” said Adam Ferguson, deputy fire chief of Fayetteeville.

Ferguson visited himself, whose fireman of Fayetteville, John Bowen, visited himself in honor, whose name was also added to the memorial and who also lost a fight against cancer.

“Something that I will never forget is that he reminded everyone that he remembered that he had learned about firefighters and cancer prevention and so, and he believed in every word of it. He just never believed it would happen to him,” said Ferguson.

For years, WRAL has reported the risks with which firefighters are faced with cancer in the workplace of cancer, also by cancer causes forever chemicals that can be found in their own suits – and in the steps, legislators have taken support for firefighters who are faced with professional cancer.

Christy Burgess has pushed for this increased support, but says that it is not enough. She continues to try to raise awareness and prevent more names from landing on this list.

“We as a community, we as states, we as counties first have to prevent our firefighters' health,” said Burgess.