The Thin Red Line – A Brotherhood

Last Friday I started my drive down to Houston, Texas, to see my parents and my brother and his family. It was a nice drive. I spent the solitude listening to audiobooks….’80’s music….and some of it in silence, so I could talk to my Joe. It helps to have some alone time to just talk with him.

I can think that we all agree that Joe was taken from us way too early in his life. He had a lifetime of love ahead of him with Michelle, and he had a promising career with the Olathe Fire Department. He loved being a fire fighter. The last call he went on was a hard one… there were fatalities in a fire and even though it was a tough call, he was still gung-ho about moving forward to do whatever he could with his brothers at OFD.

One of the firefighters and friends from the fire department had some memorial badge stickers made for Joe. Lily came home from the celebration of life with one….I hadn’t seen them. She said a firefighter gave it to her. I started seeing postings of the fire department brotherhood and the stickers on their gear. I asked if I could get some stickers and I was told they were all gone….but they would order more and send me some. I got them last week. I sent a couple to my Tim in California. I also brought one for my brother, Craig, who is a LT in the Cy-Fair Fire Department here in Texas. He put it on his helmet. What an honor. The fire department has been so supportive of us and especially Michelle. The brotherhood is very strong. I am overwhelmed at how wonderful they have been. Thank you, Michael DeVaul, from the NKCFD, for the memorial stickers for my Joe. Here are some photos….