Excerpts from chronicleillinois.com:
Lawrence Matthews, a dedicated firefighter from Dolton, passed away in the line of duty in June 2017 and will be honored at the 37th National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service on October 7. He is among 80 firefighters who lost their lives in 2017 and will be remembered at the memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Matthews collapsed while helping during a fire at a mobile home park in Harvey. He had been a member of the Dolton Fire Department since 2009 and is survived by his wife and four children. Despite being on light duty due to health issues, he was cleared to return to active service just days before his passing. Tragically, he died just after celebrating the 10th anniversary of his heart transplant.
A plaque inside the Dolton fire station honors his memory, and a local street has been named in his honor. At the national memorial, his name will be read aloud as his family receives an American flag that was flown over the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and the U.S. Capitol. Each family will also be given a red rose and a personalized badge. A bronze plaque with the names of all fallen firefighters will be added to the memorial during the event.
The ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. (Central Daylight Time) on October 7 at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg. A candlelight service will be held the night before, starting at 5:30 p.m. (CDT) at the same location.
"Memorials serve as a lasting tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice," said Dennis Compton, chairman of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Board of Directors. "Visitors to the memorial not only honor the firefighters but also recognize the strength and courage of their families."
On October 4, members of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus will present 103 American flags that were flown above the U.S. Capitol to the NFFF during a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) in the Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building. These flags will be displayed in the memorial chapel until they are presented to the families during the main event on October 7.
Over 5,000 people, including family members, friends, firefighters, and government officials, are expected to attend the service on October 7. Honor guards and pipe and drum units from across the country will participate in the solemn remembrance.
The NFFF will provide live streaming and video downloads of the ceremonies through VISTA Worldlink. For more information about the event, visit http://live.firehero.org.
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