A Nation Remembers
- Sandra Clinton
- Oct 28, 2019
- 5 min read
We were notified in February that Maddy would be honored at the National Firefighter Memorial ceremony to be held the first weekend in October 2019, at Emmitsburg, Maryland. This year they would honor 119 souls, 92 who died in the line of duty in 2018 and 27 who died in previous years or from 9/11 related illnesses.
Our trip preparations began back in July with hotel reservations and plane tickets. Having never booked airline tickets before, that was a stressful event. This was going to be only my second flight ever and the first one was arranged through a travel agent. After navigating through various sites and deciding on a flight, all that was left was waiting for the day and wondering what the weekend would hold.
Since I’m not a fan of the unknown, I was a little stressed as the day of departure drew closer. An extra layer of anxiety was caused by every woman’s dilemma – what to pack! Since most of the country was in a heat wave, which would end the day we left, trying to decide between short sleeves or sweater was brutal! I will admit to checking The Weather Channel app several times a day, including the afternoon we left. Since the Saturday night and Sunday morning events were going to be held outside, the weather was very important.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation provided transportation from the airport, but I never got the details of how I would find them when we landed in Baltimore. Oh boy! I did not need to worry about that at all! When we stepped off the plane there was a line of firefighters (one had a balloon tied to his collar) holding a sign with “Clinton”, just like in the movies. They offered to take our luggage, but we had it situated to come off the plane. We were led to a room down a hallway behind a closed door where there was a spread of sandwiches, chips, drinks, and desserts. We had our own host and he took care of whatever we needed. After eating we were shuttled with a family from Chicago by van to the hotel in Gettysburg. Upon arrival there we were greeted by more firefighters and led to where we needed to be. Anything we needed we just had to ask. The Maryland Fire Chiefs Association provided transportation for all the families. They took us to the Gettysburg Battlefield then picked us up when we called. They even took the girls to Wal-Mart!
From the time we stepped off the plane Friday until we got on the bus to the airport on Sunday afternoon, all of our meals were provided. Friday we had the opportunity to do a rubbing of the plaque before it was placed on the memorial site and make our luminary at the hotel. Everyone but Alison did the rubbing, but we didn’t make it to the luminary room. They also had clowns and activities for the younger children.
Saturday morning they had group sessions based on your relationship to the Fire Hero, as they called them. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with widows from various states, whose husbands died from heart attack, cancer, or an accident while at a scene. It was great to talk to women who have gone through an experience similar to mine.
After lunch we loaded buses and headed to the campus at Emmitsburg, MD. This is where the National Fallen Firefighter Memorial is located, as well as the Foundation headquarters and the national fire academy. The location is a former nuns’ college and the architecture of the buildings was beautiful. When we stepped off the bus two gentlemen holding another “Clinton” sign greeted us. These were our Family Escorts that were assigned to us. These men are the fire chief and fire marshal of Maumelle, Arkansas, and have donated their time for many years to come serve families of the fallen.
We were shown to the room where we could decorate the luminary, since we didn’t get that done the day before. Then we went to the chapel to light a candle for Maddy. This building was beautiful and had lots of stained glass. Our escorts took us to the store, the 9/11 monument, the brick placed for Maddy, and the memorial site. I even watched the “Red Helmet Ride”, which is a parade of motorcycles honoring the fallen firefighters. After we went to all the places on campus, dinner was served in the cafeteria. Our guys even went to save us seats!
As the sun set we lit the luminary and participated in the candlelight service. Songs were sung, poems recited, names read, candles lit (battery operated, of course), and buildings were illuminated in red in honor of the event. At one point the song “There You’ll Be” by Faith Hill was performed. This is one of the songs I downloaded after Maddy’s accident and listened to quite frequently. I sat with my eyes closed, just trying not to cry. Of course, that’s when the photographer decided to snap a picture. The service was very beautiful and moving.
Sunday morning we loaded the buses again to travel back to the campus for the Memorial Service. I counted at least 11 charter buses of family and friends that were escorted to Emmitsburg by fire trucks and law enforcement. All roads were blocked along the route, fire service members lined the overpasses with trucks and flags, and some motorists got out and stood in respect. It was such a moving sight!
When we arrived at the campus all the fire personnel were dressed in Class A uniforms, complete with hats and white gloves. They lined the sidewalks and formed a “Sea of Blue” that we walked through to get to our seats. Our escorts were with us once we stepped off the bus and lead us through. The entire campus was quiet, eerily so.
It was drizzly and cool so blankets and rain ponchos were passed out. Pipes and drums representatives from throughout the country formed a band that would rival the size of a college marching group. Volunteers formed a large contingent for the Honor Guard, who brought in each of the flags that were presented to the families. There were several speakers, songs were sung, and a wreath was laid at the Memorial.
Each firefighter honored was announced and families or representatives were presented with a rose, flag, and a badge with the firefighter’s name. If a family member could not attend, a fire service representative accepted the items.
The entire ceremony was filled with honor and respect for the fallen, the families, and the sacrifices that have been made.
I left the weekend in awe of everything that had taken place. The amount of preparation, planning, and organizing that had to happen for it all to go off smoothly is unbelievable. The sheer amount of people who volunteered their time and talents for families they didn’t know was overwhelming. The National Fallen Firefighter Foundation does an excellent job supporting families and fire departments that have lost a member in the line of duty and working to prevent the next loss.
This should be the last of the memorial services that will honor Maddy. In a way I’m afraid he will be forgotten, not by me, of course, but I don’t want the world to forget about him. I know the best way for his memory to live on is by the way I live my life and pass on his best traits to those who go on after me.
For more information about the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation and the memorial visit
https://www.firehero.org
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