Dive Diva
Telling like it is
June 30th, 2017
It was four years ago today, June 30th 2013, that the lives of 19 hot shot fire fighters from Prescott Arizona lost their lives while battling a wildfire that was started by a lightning strike in Yarnell Arizona. Not since 911 has there been such a large number of fire fighters to lose their life in one incident. The news of the hot shots passing sent shock waves through their hometown of Prescott AZ as these were fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, and friends to just about everyone in the community. I had the great privilege of meeting all these brave men at a BBQ a month before and my husband and I were good friends with Eric Marsh, the superintendent.
At the time, my husband was waiting to hear back about a job he had applied for in the Dominican Republic, but due to a hiring freeze wasn't sure if he would be offered the job. Eric being the great friend that he was, offered to hire my husband if the job fell through. However, just days after Eric's offer my husband had been hired on in the Dominican Republic, so it's no wonder that this tragedy hits a little too close to home for me. I was there when the motorcade of hursts and fire trucks escorted the 19 men home to a waiting crowd of thousands upon thousands who stood in total silence to pay their respects as each hurst passed by slowly. The town of Prescott lowered it flags from June 30th - July 19th in honor of each individual hot shot.
News of the tragedy quickly made both national and international news. Fire fighters from all over the globe came together in this small town to attend the massive memorials to show their support for the 19 fallen hot shots and their loved ones left behind.
Today, hikers can take a trail that has a plaque every one hundred feet or so of these brave men. Each plaque shows a picture and tells a little bit about that person and at the end of the trail is a circular man made stone hedge with purple ribbons. Inside the circle stands a cross where each hot shot paid the ultimate sacrifice. There, hikers will witness the brotherhood of these men. When the fire had over taken them, they stayed close together, as seen by where the crosses now stand in their place.
I've heard that a movie is being made based on the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. It's said to be mainly based about the lives of these brave men and not make the tragedy that occurred in Yarnell the focal point of the film. My only hope is that the filmmakers do these 19 men justice so the world will know exactly how compassionate, funny, and honest hard workers they really were. Having known Eric was a true privilege as he and his wife would go horseback riding, he took us mountain climbing, rode mountain bike through the hills of Prescott with friends, and had many more fun outgoing hobbies that always included the people he loved. So to Eric and the rest of the 19 hot shots, Rest In Peace gentleman.
~Dive Diva