The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) Memorial Weekend is a time for families of the fallen to gather as one firefighting family, the family they joined the moment their loved ones stepped into their firehouses for the first time. They mourn, they reflect, and they all stand together with their fire service brethren to honor those firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the safety of those in their communities.
The night before the NFFF Memorial Service, the plaques with the names of the fallen are unveiled during a candlelight service. It is a more intimate setting for the families before the nation honors their loved ones during the Memorial Service. As Captain Garon Mosby, St. Louis (MO) Fire Department, said, “Tomorrow morning, we will gather as a nation to honor your loved ones. But, tonight’s service is different. It’s more intimate. It’s a quieter time to focus on you, and the personal loss that you all have endured.” The candlelight service combines music and light to help provide a measure of comfort to the gathered families.
Troy Markel, NFFF Board Chair, and Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator, placed the Presidential Wreath on the NFFF Memorial, an annual tradition, before unveiling the plaques bearing the names of the fallen being honored this year—in all, 144 names. Seventy-nine of these names represented the fallen from 2022, and 65 from previous years.
Another component of the candlelight service is the passing of the light. Liza Aunkst, a Fire Hero Family Member and child of Michael Aunkst, who died in the line of duty in 2005, began the light sharing ceremony.
“The remembrance candle that I will light from the eternal flame is a symbol of the hope and enduring friendship shared by all who have lost a special firefighter,” she said. “Other Fire Hero Family members will join me in sharing the light from the remembrance candle with you, the families and friends of the firefighters being honored this year, and ask that you pass it on to others.”
Aunkst urged those gathered to take time to reflect upon their loved ones and celebrate those lives with those around them as they shared the light. She also reminded the families that the Foundation is here to support them moving forward.
To say that the Candlelight Service is moving would be an understatement. It is the culmination of a day spent speaking with families of the fallen, seeing them on their hands and knees to get an impression from an engraved brick, seeing families escorted to the Memorial and, of course, viewing the Memorial itself. As the Candlelight Service came to a close, the NFFF joined fire departments and organizations throughout the country by illuminating the chapel on campus with red light. And, the service ended with a Roll of Honor displaying the names of this year’s honored fallen with pictures. For me, the Roll of Honor was the most moving aspect as family members shed tears as their loved one’s picture came up. I don’t think there was one picture that didn’t accurately reveal the joy firefighters find in what they do. Mosby summed up the service perfectly when he said, “It’s so quiet, peaceful, and still here. Carry that peace home and keep it in your heart.”
Candlelight Service, May 6, 2023:
Memorial Service, May 7, 2023:
