For the final Salute to Service report of 2016, we wanted to do something really special. We surprised one of Bunce’s biggest fans with a visit to the memorial that honors her husband’s service and her entire family’s sacrifice.
A flock of geese circled overhead as we stood beside a marker honoring Sidney Hall and other firefighters, whose service to their communities ended in tragedy.
Sid died fighting an Indiana house fire ten years ago, leaving behind his wife and two sons.
"A lot of us survivors have said that our loved ones are there. And we could feel that at the memorial service. We could feel that he was there," said survivor Bonnie Hall.
Sid’s widow, Bonnie, couldn’t afford to travel to the Memorial, so we brought it to her via Skype.
Their son Matt has followed in his father’s boots. He’s a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Their son Chris inherited his father’s passion for music and works with the Salvation Army’s music program.
The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is a special place, as are the people who work there.
"As a child, my house caught on fire back in Prince George’s County and it burned to the ground, and I’ve always had a love for the fire service. For what they did for our family," said Bev Donlon, NFFF.
A walk of honor connects the Memorial to a chapel, and to an extraordinary statue of firefighters raising the American flag after 9/11. It is lined with inscribed bricks.
"Every brick tells a story," said Judi Whitlow, NFFF. "Sometimes they’re birthday presents, sometimes they’re presents to somebody who lost somebody."
The mission is to honor sacrifice of the firefighters and their survivors.
"It’s really special. I think that we do a really good job letting them know that their firefighter isn’t forgotten and neither are they," said Donlon.
The flags are lowered to half staff every time the nation loses a firefighter in the line of duty. That’s roughly once every three days.
If you’d like to learn more about the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and Memorial, click here.
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