Ceremony Honors Fallen Firefighters in Fort Worth

A special ceremony was held Saturday to honor the lives of Fort Worth firefighters who died in the line of duty.

David Greene, 56, is the most recent addition to a memorial along West 7^th Street in memory of fallen Fort Worth police officers and firefighters. Greene served for 29 years with the Fort Worth Fire Department and was an engineer.

He died on September 19, 2022, from an occupational cancer, his family said.

“When I was born, he was still in high school. So, he was the older brother I never had. Growing up, we were always picking on each other,” Greene’s niece Randi said. “He always wanted to help everybody. He had one of the biggest hearts you could ever have.”

According to the International Association of Firefighters,  firefighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. At the 2022 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, 348 out of 469 of the names added to the wall were members who had died from occupational cancer.

In the five months since Greene’s death, his family has become active in raising awareness and funds for firefighters battling cancer.

“There’s 14 firefighters in the state of Texas who currently have cancer. This is providing them financial aid. They do so much when they risk their lives. We call them, they’re there in a moment’s notice. This is just a way to give back to them as they fight for their lives,” Randi said.

The ceremony Saturday also honored the lives of all Fort Worth firefighters who have lost their lives. It is held on February 25 every year, because that is the date of Fort Worth’s first line of duty death in 1902.

Michael Glynn with the Fort Worth Firefighter’s Association said the ceremony is a way for the city their loved one was protecting has not forgotten their sacrifice or the loss the family has experienced.

“There’s young children here who don’t have a father now, or don’t have a father with them. There are wives that are having to figure out what it’s like to do life on their own without their loved one. This is about honoring the sacrifice those firefighters have made over the years,” Glynn said. “It’s a horrible fraternity and sorority to be a part of, but they do it. They don’t have a choice.”

Greene’s name was engraved on the wall Friday and unveiled to his family for the first time Saturday.

“It’s a time of sadness, but it’s a time to celebrate all of these courageous men and women who do so much,” Randi said.

Greene’s family will be participating the Neighbors United walk from March 16 to 19. The second annual “Walk For The Red” is open to the public and will begin at Lake Cities Fire Station 3 in Corinth at 7:30 a.m.

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